Deathly Company
by JessPuggy
Summary: Bella Swan is a danger magnet. Who's to say that this only applies to life in Washington? When the Cullen's leave Forks, Bella lets Renee drag her off to Florida. Now, eight years later, things have come full circle. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first attempt at a Twilight fan fiction. If you read it, I'd love to hear what you think, so leave a review! I know that there are a lot of 'Edward never came back' fics out there, and I know I haven't read all of them, so hopefully this isn't too similar to anything else someone's already written.

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight.

Late, again.

I growled at my bedside clock, wondering how it made the decision of whether or not to go off. For such a small device, it was very largely annoying .

Without turning on a light, so I wouldn't wake my nocturnal roommate, I dashed around the single bedroom in search of a matching, clean outfit.

I tripped over a pile of books on my way to the bathroom, but managed to regain balance before hitting the ground. That on its own indicated good things to come; normally, I was a walking disaster when rushed. Or, should I say, a falling disaster.

I took a shower that lasted approximately two minutes, more to wake myself up than to get clean - I usually showered at night. Brushing my hair took no time at all, which reminded me again why I'd had it cut so short in the first place. When I'd first come to Florida with Renee, things like my appearance and my behavior hadn't been very important to me. For the better part of a year, I was in pretty poor shape.

Ok, I'd been a downright wreck.

To put it short, I barely even remember the months it took for me to adjust to life without Edward. I existed, but just barely. I don't know how I managed to finish out the school year, but graduation came and I got to walk the stage along with everyone else. It was a strange experience, considering I knew none of the other students. I was glad when it was over with; I had thought it meant the end of trying so hard.

I'd been very wrong.

Renee expected more from me after the end of my high school life. She threw around words like 'college', and 'career' - things that I had no intentions of getting into. According to my mother, it was the only natural path for my life to take.

That was years ago now. I hadn't followed her advice perfectly, but then again, who ever listens to their parents? I had managed to secure a decent job, no thanks to my two year community college degree. As far as I was concerned, those two years were nothing but wasted time; but they made my mother happy, and I still wasn't above trying to please my parents.

For that reason alone, I had to lie to them on a very regular basis.

Both Charlie and Renee had skewed outlooks on my job and my personal life. Over the years, I had fed them so many lies that the words came without any hesitation now. I didn't even think twice about how wrong it was anymore; the line between right and wrong had been blurred far too long ago for me to change anything now.

With a bag of essentials tucked under my arm, I ducked out of the apartment, locking the door behind me. This wasn't the worst part of town, but break-ins weren't unheard of. I strolled down the six flights of stair at a snails pace - I'd tripped down them twice since the elevator had quit working, just one week ago, but had somehow managed to abstain from breaking any bones.

I didn't have far to walk, just down the street to the corner bus stop. If I'd been up on time, my ride would have been a much smaller, much sleeker sports car. It had probably been sitting just south of where I was now, right in front of my apartment building - oh, about three hours ago. Luckily, my employer was lenient, and rather supportive of the simple notion of sleep.

It was something he was deprived of, after all.

I made use of a few items in my bag during the short ride across town, using every available second and every ounce of my cosmetology skills to ensure I was as presentable as possible. My efforts were futile, really; no amount of makeup would allow me to blend in with the company I kept. I knew this well, but it never stopped me from trying.

The Bella Swan in Forks wouldn't have been able to step foot outside with this much makeup on without blushing and hiding behind her hair. It was a good thing I wasn't her anymore.

It was still early morning when I got off at my stop. I still hadn't quite gotten used to the heat of Florida - such a direct contrast to rainy Forks - though it had been my home for almost eight years. It made no sense whatsoever, considering I'd lived most my life in the dry hear of Phoenix, but somehow I'd grown accustomed to the weather in Forks during my short stay. The sunlight didn't warm me like it used to; not on the inside, at least.

The old Bella, the one who moved from Arizona to Washington, would have paused briefly to absorb the comfortable morning heat. I broke out into a brisk stride, past the dress shop with bars over the windows, past the old tattoo parlor that never failed to have at least one glossy, decked-out motorcycle parked out front. Past the abandoned, vandalized church and around the corner, to the multi-story office complex that appeared to be just as uninhabited.

The same path I took nearly every morning, save for those that I actually woke in time to catch my ride. On those rare mornings, I had only to walk from the underground parking garage to the elevator.

I rapped twice on one plywood covered window to alert those inside to my arrival, on the off chance my footsteps and scent had gone unnoticed. I would only wait out front for a minute; though I much preferred to enter with one of them, I wouldn't risk drawing any outside attention.

The cardboard covered glass door swung outwards, letting sunlight stream into the opening. One long, slender arm stuck out of the shadows, holding the door in its current position. Every inch of the limb reflected the sunlight, glistening like a glove of diamonds.

It was something I saw on a daily basis, but I still couldn't keep my gasp of awe from escaping.

"Bella!" A musical voice greeted me with far too much enthusiasm for the hour.

"Good morning, Cassie."

I squeezed through the opening provided and into the dark entryway. As usual, the temperature change was abrupt - from warming oven to ice cooler in a matter of seconds. My sight was useless in this part of the building, where no one bothered with lights, because really, no one here needed them. The upper levels were only well lit for the benefit of those like myself.

"Nathan's got a job for you today," Cassie informed me in her bell-like voice. I didn't have to see her to know there was a stunning smile on her face; Cassie was smiling more often than not. "He's been talking to himself all morning, and yelling at Bryant, which, well, I suppose is normal. Of course, he won't tell me anything at all. I heard Bryant on the phone with the airport, he's booked two seats on a flight to who knows where, because Nathan called for me before I got the chance to hear. I think you're going to be going somewhere, maybe with Bryant, or Sophia."

I cut her off there, in the transitory second before she started into another thought. Cassie would ramble on for hours if no one stopped her. "Sounds like things have been interesting around here," I said casually, conversationally. "Maybe we should go see Nathan and find out what's going on."

Cassie's ice cold hand found mine easily in the darkness, and she tugged me forward eagerly. No doubt she was more interested in my assignment than I was - not that I wasn't interested at all. It'd been almost a year since my last long distance job, which had gone over fairly well. Better than I had expected, anyway.

Nathan didn't send me away very often. I like to think he understood me, and the fact that I could cause complications about as often as I could solve problems. Which was why, after my first solo excursion, Nathan had refused to let me leave the state without one of his more… resilient employees by my side.

I was contemplating the possible nature of this new task as Cassie led me, very impatiently, to the first floor elevator. Though the stairwell would have been her quicker option, Cassie had long ago become familiar with my much slower human pace (not to mention the clumsiness) and had resigned to using the otherwise pointless mode of transportation when in my company.

The darkness was broken when the doors swooshed apart, enabling me to see again. Cassie and I stepped inside right away, already sure that we would find it empty. This morning, like most others, I had no qualms with boxing myself in a small, enclosed space with the blond haired vampire; she wasn't thirsty today. I'd seen to that myself, only two afternoons ago. Her eternally red eyes were dark and glowing, obviously sated for the time being.

We ascended two floors and got off in a dimly lit hallway. Cassie skipped a few paces ahead of me, her long hair bouncing with her jovial movements. I took larger steps in order to keep up.

At the end of the hall, we hesitated momentarily outside of Nathan's office. A few seconds was all the time he needed; if we weren't welcome, he would have made sure we didn't enter. His ability to sense those around him would have informed him of our arrival before we'd even reached the door.

It was an impressive skill, sometimes.

"Bella! Come in, come in."

The doorknob was wretched from Cassie's hand as it swung inward. Nathan's lofty frame filled the space the door had just occupied.

"Morning, Nathan. You look like you could use a day out of the office." I raised my eyebrows while I spoke, taking in his rumpled brown hair and wrinkled clothes. The same clothes he'd worn yesterday. He'd probably been at his computer all night. "Too bad they're calling for a heat wave this week."

Nathan nodded impatiently, disregarding my greeting. He stepped aside so that I could enter the room, but moved at an unnatural speed to prevent Cassie from following.

"Go and speak with Bryant. Tell him to pack for cold weather."

I frowned and listened to Cassie's objection as Nathan closed the door in her face.

"That's not very nice, you know." I kept my voice light, teasing. I wasn't sure if Nathan was in the mood to hear me defend Cassie.

"Nice doesn't work with her." Nathan sighed and stepped heavily towards his desk; his feet actually made noises - a feat for a vampire. I followed his lead and sat in the antique armchair that was positioned opposite the massive oak desk. The desk was mostly empty, aside from the expensive computer and all of Nathan's paperwork. It was an uncluttered contrast to the office walls, which were nearly impossible to see behind Nathan's vast collection of artwork.

Nathan smoothed his hands out over his keyboard without pressing any buttons. He scowled at the screen between us.

I waited patiently. My boss was an eccentric man of few words; he would say what was needed in his own time, and no one else's. I'd learned not to press him, not to irritate him, and just let him be. It was a considerably relaxed work-relationship that we shared.

"Bella, you know I dislike sending you away, but I'm afraid there are no others for this particular task." He looked towards me as he spoke, apologizing with his eyes.

I nodded, grinning weakly. There were very few possible directions for this conversation to take.

"Bryant will accompany you, of course. The both of you will be back in Florida by the end of the week, with any luck. It should be a relatively trouble-free matter. I hope you don't oppose too terribly."

I just shook my head and waited for the blow.

Nathan nodded; my reaction was expected. It was time to get to the details. "There is a firm in Port Angeles, Washington, one that I have taken an interest in owning. The current owners are understandably put out by my persistence." He smiled, mischief gleaming in his expression. I resisted the urge to giggle; Nathan was nothing if not a persistent capitalist. "I happen to know that one of my favorite employees has spent time in that area, so, naturally, I have to take advantage of that knowledge. Am I wrong to think that you could sway these men in my favor?"

The words I wanted to say had to be swallowed before I could answer Nathan properly. He wouldn't want to hear my natural response to being sent to Port Angeles.

After choking silently, I settled on a slight nod of affirmation. It was never difficult to sway Nathan's competitors - he provided enough funds to satisfy a God. It was in the compromise that my boss found his leisure. I would go and throw money at the owners until they caved, and Nathan would laugh about how much more he thought it would take.

"Well then, you should be off to pack."

I nodded again and stood, turning towards the door.

"Oh, Bella," Nathan stood as well, stepping around the desk in a movement too quick for me to see. "If you would, try not to wake Lorie. She had an… eventful evening."

I focused on keeping my expression smooth. "No problem." I was dismissed then, as Nathan was no longer looking at me, but at one of his paintings.

He could probably hear my teeth grinding together as I left the room.

The vampires here were no more murders than the company I had kept in Forks. But they didn't deny their craving for human blood, either. It was another blurring of right and wrong, one that I still wasn't positive

I'd completely accepted.

I suppose that if it wasn't for Sophia, it wouldn't be possible. Her ability was somewhat like Jasper's, in that she could sway the emotions of others; but her command went a lot further. She could alter a persons memories, as well as their mind-set - and her change was lasting.

Very few people were allowed to remember their dealings with my vampires.

Laurie, my nocturnal roommate, was one of the few. The marks over her neck and shoulders were physical evidence of her repeated encounters.

See, while vampires are indeed venomous, they are also very apt at withdrawing fluids from a persons bloodstream. My first demonstration of that fact had been years ago - in a time that I tried not to recall.

So long as we kept the unsuspecting humans rolling in on a regular basis, there was no need for any lives to be taken. Sophia kept them all from questioning the time spent in our 'office building'.

I'd have to find lunch for Bryant before we could leave - then it would be elk and deer until we got back home.

At least, I hoped. Bryant probably wasn't apposed to finishing a meal every now and then.

Cassie wasn't waiting for me in the hall, so I took the elevator down on my own. Seconds later I was in the underground parking garage. The car I sought was parked in the far corner, between Cassie's blue Lamborghini Murcielago and Sophia's less ostentatious gray Ford Fusion.

The car was probably the most expensive gift I'd received in my entire life. It was an absolutely beautiful orange Mitsubishi Eclipse, but, while I adored it, I refused to use it for anything other than work. I just couldn't bring myself to leave it parked on the street by my apartment overnight.

At home, I finally allowed myself to feel the disorder of my emotions. Nathan expected nothing less than total compliance. No matter how unappealing my job description became, I had no choice but to roll with the punches. Nathan looked out for me. Cassie was my best friend.

I threw clothes into a suitcase at random, grumbling to myself all the while.

It took no time at all to get ready to go. Lorie was still sleeping soundly when I locked up and left, dragging two moderately heavy suitcases behind me. Nathan said a week, but there was no way of gauging these things. If he wanted to buy, he'd buy; time was of no consequence.

Traffic was still light - most people had arrived at their destinations by now. I forfeit the use of air conditioning, opting to roll down my windows and enjoy the stifling heat of the south for as long as I was able. Soon it would be long sleeves and a jacket; the title 'summer' was a cruel deception when applied to my former home.

I parked in my normal spot and left my bags in the car. I'd let someone else move them if we took a different vehicle to the airport.

Sophia was pacing the third floor hallway when I stepped out of the elevator. Her usually stern expression was even more severe than normal; her lips were pulled down at the corners in a deep, deliberate frown.

"Missing Bryant already?" I asked, pitching my voice to sound understanding. I understood more than most - but those were emotions I refused to feel anymore.

The dark haired Vampire stilled, her pale hands resting on her hips. They were the color of snow against her black skirt.

"It's foolish of Nathan to send the two of you together. Bryant doesn't need that sort of freedom." Her words made her out to be controlling, as though she was attempting to rule over her mate's endeavors.

I knew better.

None of my vampire friend's were exactly moral, but Bryant was even less concerned with the nature of his meals than the others. Sophia had every reason to worry.

I agreed whole heartedly. "Has he thought to send you instead?" I asked, without any real hope.

Sophia's long inky hair slid over her shoulders as she shrugged. "He has his motives, of that I'm sure. He won't listen to a word I have to say on the subject." She stepped closer, lowering her voice - probably in vain. "Perhaps you could voice your opinion; Nathan has a remarkable fixation with you. You may be able to make him see reason."

My eyes widened in surprise. Sophia must have been pretty anxious over Bryant leaving, if she went so far as to enlist my help. Me, the human. Who knew a prideful vampire would ever sink so low?

"I can try." I drew the words out, hesitant to say them at all. We both knew that Nathan was impossible to persuade once his mind was made up. I probably wouldn't get five words in before he pushed me out the door.

Sophia nodded once, but now she looked distracted, cocking her head slightly to the side and frowning. I waited, knowing that she was listening to something my human ears weren't able to catch.

"Hmmm…" Sophia scowled, clenching her jaw just a bit tighter before speaking. "Nathan's talking with Bryant now. He's unusually enthusiastic about this issue, I wonder why that is."

I took a deep breath, trying very hard to keep my expression neutral. Nathan was the only one of them who knew where I'd lived before moving to Florida. He didn't know the exact nature of my background, only that it had somehow led to my understanding of a world that most humans coexisted with in ignorance. Oh, he'd asked me questions, a multitude of them, but I had given very vague answers. He didn't know about the Cullen's vegetarian diet, let alone their name or whereabouts, or even their numbers.

Sophia knew nothing, but I could tell that she was suspecting and that I was a part of her speculations.

"You can never know what Nathan is thinking," I hedged, taking a few steps in the direction of our topics office. Hopefully Sophia would take the hint and let me go. She'd never been one to engage me in conversation to begin with. "I'm sure he would be sending Mario, if that were still a possibility."

Sophia hissed beside me, where she had fallen into step. "Don't bring the traitor into this."

I quickened my pace, walking a little erratically because my focus was on the vampire stalking lithely by my side. I knew that Mario was a sore subject, but his name had effectively ended our conversation - my intention, of course.

Sophia's eyes were nearly black when we rounded the corner and came to Nathan's office. A very sour looking Cassie stood just outside the closed door. She was still pouting when I greeted her. I hid my smirk; over the years, the blonde vampire had acquired so many human expressions that sometimes it was easy to forget she was the an active member of the most lethal race ever created.

Ignoring Sophia, Cassie turned her pout on me. "Nathan told me to send you in. He absolutely won't let me do a thing, even though I could reserve your rooms on the internet, or book you a tour of the rainforest. It storms up there all the time, so I hope you remembered to pack a raincoat and a decent pair of boots. I've read that humans can have a number of reactions to extreme climate changes, so I printed you a list of the most common complaints, just in case you need it."

I smiled, not at all surprised by the endeavor. In her more human years, Cassie would have made a very proficient secretary to some big-headed corporate CEO.

I could feel Sophia's gaze on the back of my head as I turned the handle and let myself in to Nathan's office.

"Bella! Come in, sit down. Close the door behind you."

I did as I was told, sitting in the same armchair I had occupied earlier that morning. Bryant stood with his back to me, his lanky frame bent ever so slightly as he appeared to more closely examine one of Nathan's many paintings.

Nathan smiled, displaying his perfectly white set of teeth, before speaking loudly. "I understand that certain members of my corporation think I'm wrong in my choices when it comes to this matter. I tell you, Bella, as I am sure you well know, I have put it to a great deal of thought. Your familiarity with the area alone serves well enough to justify my decision, would you not agree?"

I sat just a bit more rigid in my chair and nodded.

"It is not a problem, Nathan. I'm capable of completing a simple business deal." What I really felt like saying was, 'Gee, thanks a lot for telling everybody I used to live in Washington. You just opened up a whole new conversational outlet for Cassie to abuse', but I was used to editing my thoughts by now.

"Very well, then." Nathan sat back in his chair. Suddenly he was sliding the mouse across the desktop, his eyes and attention having moved on to the computer screen between us in the amount of time it would take a normal person to blink. He continued speaking to me, nonetheless. "Your flight arrangements have been taken care of. For lack of better choices, Kim will be driving the two of you to the airport."

His fingers clicked away at the keyboard at lightning speed as I contemplated getting into a car with my human coworker behind the wheel. Kim was older than me by several years, and had been a part of Nathan's little enterprise for quite some time before I joined up.

It was only in recent times that Nathan and his companions made the switch to sampling without slaughtering. Their record was not so pristine in the early days, and that was where Kim came in. She was barely a teenager when she witnessed her father, her only living relative, murdered at the hands, or, more correctly, the teeth, of my boss. He hadn't meant to kill; Sophia had been standing by, ready to do whatever it was that she did to jumble the memory of their conquests. Only this time she wasn't needed.

Sometimes - though now it was very uncommon - the urge to drink could not be harnessed by the intent to stop.

Expectedly, Kim burst into violent sobs and ran to her deceased fathers side. Very unexpectedly, she then turned to Nathan and thanked him so sincerely that the vampire was shocked speechless. As it turned out, Kim's father had been making her life hell by way of every type of abuse one could imagine. Nathan, being the least heartless stone creature I've ever come across - save one or two, perhaps - took a liking to the girl and assumed responsibility for her wellbeing.

Being raised by vampires would do a lot to promote recklessness on any human's part.

Nathan's eyes twitched back to my face when I didn't respond right away. Still smiling, still amused.

"She promised to deliver you safely, and in one piece."

I nodded out of habit, while reminding myself that my fears were unnecessary. If Kim happened to lose control of the car, Bryant would remove both of us from danger before the impact.

Nathan's smile faltered as he judged my expression. "You are abnormally quiet today, Bella. Does this assignment offend you so greatly?"

"No, of course not," I lied through my teeth. "I'm just thinking about how weird it'll be, going back after all these years. I'm wondering if I'll still recognize the place."

It wasn't entirely a lie - Charlie _had_ said that several well-known buildings had been demolished to make room for a newer, bigger mall. And I wasn't overly perturbed about it; the cause of my apprehension wouldn't be around, anyway.

Maybe that was the problem. Maybe I was afraid to face a Forks where the Cullen's didn't exist anymore.

Well, that was okay - there would be no need for me to step foot in Forks.

"Good, good. It is healthy to test ones memory. Now, Kim will be bringing today's clients with her, so you're free to spend the afternoon as you please - assuming you are ready to leave by dusk, that is."

I thanked him - though his attention had already returned to his computer - and stood.

"I hope Kim brings enough - it's going to take a lot to prepare me for a week alone with Bella." Bryant's smooth voice spoke quietly from behind me, reminding me of his presence.

"Don't worry, Bryant." I smiled at him over my shoulder, only slightly troubled with his choice of words. "I know where the deer and the antelope roam - I won't let you go thirsty."

Bryant laughed in his gently, hushed voice. "That would require a large amount of persuasion on your part. I happen to think you would be much tastier than some deer."

Nathan cleared his throat, a noise that was as surprising as it was distracting.

"I'd prefer if you would not test that theory, Bryant."

I glared at the messy-haired vampire before taking my leave. Was it too much to ask for my murder to be prohibited altogether?

Preferences just weren't as solid as orders.


	2. Chapter 2

The afternoon passed far too quickly. I tried to delay the inevitable by doing things that usually made me feel like time was dragging by, like reading one of the duller books in Nathan's library. It didn't work. I poured over accounting information for what felt like an hour, but when I checked two had actually passed. Kim arrived late in the afternoon; I gave up then and went to fulfill my 'receptionist' duties.

I took the longer, more hazardous way around - using the stairwell rather than the elevator - so that I wouldn't have to pass any of the rooms in which my employers would be having their 'consultations'. It was easier for me to use those terms, even in the seclusion of my thoughts, even though I knew better. It helped me deal.

The other thing that helped me deal was that the 'client' always left with a smile on their face. They might be the color of a sheet; they might be swaying from lack of blood - but they were happy.

Sophia was very good at what she did.

My job was simple. Or, I should say that the job of receptionist was a simple one. I alternated with Kim, and sometimes Lorie, on the rare occasion she graced us with her presence while the sun was still out. Other days I had the job of carpooling, which was altogether different, but only faintly more difficult.

See, Nathan was very thorough when it came to the façade of his business. The people we brought in were aware of their appointments ahead of time; they weren't just people we randomly picked off the street - not that it had never come to that before. Amazingly, no one seemed to find it odd that our little Attorney's office functioned on a carpooling service. I guessed this was because a lot of our customers were young and short on cash; who were they to argue when someone else offered to foot the gas bill?

I didn't have to put on a fake smile today, like I would have if I'd been doing Kim's job. You had to be reassuring and lively with the clients before they came in; it was important to keep up a strong pretence until all was said and done, and they were locked in, stuck with their fate.

It wasn't as if they were killing anyone. So why did I always feel so uneasy when I thought about what went on behind those closed office doors?

I slipped into place - in a room separated from the hallway by a window - just before the first satisfied client stumbled into view. As per usual, the first floor lights had been restored for the occasion; somehow they seemed to burn brighter here than anywhere else in the building.

Probably because the lights only came on when the vampires were feeding.

"Good evening, Ma'am," I spoke loudly, making sure the short, dark haired Oriental woman knew that she should speak with me before heading out to wait for the others.

"Hello," she breathed, stepping over. Her smile was euphoric and her eyes glazed over.

I pursed my lips, scrutinizing her expression. "I hope we were able to assist you today," I droned the words out of habit.

"Yes, yes. Thank you."

Her voice was faint, breathy. The coloring of skin was sallow, far paler than it should have been, but she appeared to be decently stable as she stood before me. Most people leaned against the wall or held onto the counter between us. More often than not, they passed out.

This woman passed my inspection with flying colors, so I pressed a button on the wall next to me, unlocking the door for her departure. We didn't bring the humans into the parking garage, since it was usually Kim or I driving them back and forth. The alley between our building and the next was just large enough to allow a vehicle, and it suited our needs just fine. The sooner they were in the door, the sooner they could serve their purpose and leave.

I'd checked over five clients when the sound of heels came clicking down the corridor, much too quick and steady to have just come from a 'meeting' with one of my employers. I leaned slightly out my window, craning my neck to see the figure before they reached me.

The first thing that caught my attention was a bright yellow shirt with printed black letters across the front. Then I saw the torn capri pants and the wide, sparkling black belt that separated the two items of clothing, and I grinned.

I forced the smile from my face as she neared my window.

"What happened? Did the apartment catch fire? Is someone dying?" I was trying for panic, but it ended up sounding like I was trying not to laugh - which I was.

Lorie flashed me her dimpled smile and leaned into my window. "You're so funny, Bella. If you'd have looked, you would have known I reset the alarm this morning to wake me up. Nathan said I had to take the feedbags home today." I observed her hair while she spoke, wondering how it could still look like a birds nest when she had obviously taken the time to pin it down. The little black restraints were lost in a sea of unruly red. But she knew what I knew: the clients were remarkably unobservant on the return trip. She could have worn a bathrobe and they wouldn't know any differently.

"So, what's the count? Are they finished?"

"I don't think so; I've only seen five. I don't know how many came in, but Kim was supposed to have brought a full load."

Lorie sighed and moved from my line of sight, only to appear a few seconds later behind the counter with me. She leaned against the wall, looking at me with raised eyebrows. Her eyes were an eerie color of yellow today, nearly glowing, thanks to one of her countless sets of unusual contact lenses.

"What?" I asked, when her questioning gaze did not waver.

"Nathan told me about your trip, you know." She spoke softly; I knew that if they were not covered up, her blue eyes would be filled with concern. She tilted her head slightly, as if inviting me to speak my true feelings.

I took a deep, shaky breath. Lorie knew more about my past than any of the vampires did. She knew, but she did not judge. After all, she was in love with a vampire herself. We fit together well: two psychotic young women - _humans_ - who chose to dream about monsters, about creatures of horror tales, rather than someone of our own race.

Only Lorie actually had a chance at her dream. Mine had long ago passed me by.

"I told him it wasn't very considerate, throwing you back to your past like that," Lorie continued when the silence between us grew uncomfortable. "I told him it was a bad idea."

"No, it's alright." I finally found my voice. "It was going to happen sooner or later. I can't avoid Charlie for the rest of my life." The words were out before I'd really thought them through. I mentally smacked myself - _what happened to not stepping foot in Forks?_

Lorie's expression didn't change; she was unconvinced. Hell, _I_ was unconvinced, but I shrugged it off.

Luckily the next client came down the hall then, distracting me from the doomed conversation. I probably took a few minutes longer than necessary with the young man, situating his shirt collar so that the small square of gauze at the corner of his neck and shoulder was suitably concealed.

"I'm going to be worrying about you," Lorie murmured, once I'd buzzed the doors open.

I flinched. I couldn't help it - I hated to be the cause of other people's concern.

I plastered on my fake smile, the one I hadn't planned on using this afternoon. "Don't even think about it. You'll have enough to deal with here. I'm not even sure how this place is going to function without me."

It should have bothered me to lie to her. If Cassie was my best friend, because of the hours upon hours we spent in each others company, Lorie was my closest. I'd found myself spouting more truth around her than with any other person in the state, including my mother. Lorie knew almost everything there was to know about me.

"Still, I wish I were going with you. I'm just not cruel enough to leave Kim here on her own."

We both giggled at the thought. Kim had gotten by without Lorie and I for years, so we didn't doubt that she was capable of handling everything. But Kim - young, lighthearted, happy-go-lucky Kim - had long ago threatened our lives if we were to leave her alone again. I didn't blame her; our job was a round the clock endeavor. It was easier done in shifts.

We spoke on lighter subjects for a little while, pausing to assess the clients as they filed one by one out of the building. I'd counted nine of them - all pale and sickly, but so undeniably elated - when Kim showed up, smiling, as usual. Her smile was infectious, it lit up her face and made her green eyes sparkle like sunlight reflecting off the sea. It was easy to see why Nathan was so taken by her when they met.

She waved enthusiastically in greeting. "Bryant's meeting us downstairs, Bella" she said, sweeping her dark brown mane over one shoulder. "We're just going to take your car, since I drove the van this morning."

I blinked - and then had to force myself to reopen my eyes. Hmm… if my body was already seizing up from dread now, how was I going to feel when the plane landed in Washington?

The image of Bryant carrying me through the Port Angeles airport flashed through my mind, making me shudder.

"Bella?" Lorie rested her hand on my arm. I focused on her black and red striped fingernails, calming myself. This was ridiculous.

"I'm ready." I leaned forward and hugged Lorie awkwardly - awkwardly because I still wasn't quite steady, and I probably put just a little too much of my weight into the embrace.

"Take care, sweetie." Her voice was understanding as she rubbed my shoulder. "I'll see you in a few days."

I think that Lorie passed some of her strength and determination on to me through our hug, because as I stood upright, I felt resolve; I could do this.

We said goodbye to Lorie, leaving her to a long evening of reintroducing our blood donors to society. It was… interesting to drive the clients back to their homes. Sometimes they didn't recognize their stops, and we had to physically remove them from the vehicle.

The early effects of Sophia's power was something like the high off of a street drug. It had disgusted me at first, but Nathan fixed that by taking me for a drive one evening during my first week of work. We stopped outside a few houses, all from my rounds the afternoon before, and observed the occupants. They were all perfectly happy, blissful, even. The haziness I'd witnessed the day before had passed. I was put at ease knowing that no one suffered from what had been done to them.

I'd been hooked then. If I didn't approve of Nathan's methods, I did appreciate them. If all vampires were to adapt similar habits, the world would see a rapid decrease in unexplained homicides.

It wasn't likely, but I could dream. It was a hell of a lot likelier than all vampires converting to the vegetarian lifestyle, that was for sure.

I ended up driving to the airport, with Kim complaining in my ear from the backseat. She wasn't happy with me because I refused to hand over my keys until we'd reached our destination. I was ecstatic for not having to endure what she called driving. In my opinion, what she did was more correctly referred to as street racing.

We arrived in plenty of time, even with me abiding by all the traffic laws - much to Kim's dismay. Bryant took care of everything once we arrived - checking our luggage through security, presenting our computer print-out tickets, small chat with the flight attendant as she showed us to our seats - without saying a word to me. Which was fine by me; he wasn't high on my list of favorite people, either.

I listened to my I-Pod after takeoff, intent on tuning out the various conversations that took place around us. First class was nice, but almost as noisy as coach.

I was always aware of the vampire sitting beside me, even if I didn't look at him straight out. It was impossible not to be aware of Bryant, or any vampire, for that matter. But it still took me by surprise when his cold hand touched my arm.

Popping out my ear buds, I looked up at him expectantly. He was smiling, like someone with a good secret. It looked out of place on his normally smooth, emotionless face.

"Nathan sent you for a reason, Bella."

He didn't know anything about what Nathan wanted from me, so how could his words sound so taunting?

Instead of showing him that he had hit a nerve, I tried to look amused. "So?"

Bryant actually laughed. "So, I am practically looking forward to this. Who knows what sort of mysteries weigh down your past. It must be good, because Nathan is captivated by the possibilities."

I took a deep breath and fidgeted slightly in my seat. Bryant's smile widened; he probably recognized the signs of my nervousness. Stupid observant vampire.

"You'll be disappointed, I'm afraid. My life was pretty dull when I lived here. I mean, I cooked dinner for my father every single night."

Bryant's expression registered surprise, and I might as well have literally inserted my foot into my mouth.

He recovered before I could. "Your father lives in Washington, then?"

I sighed. "Yes. But not in Port Angeles, so it doesn't matter, does it?"

Bryant shrugged and looked away, facing forward again. I took the moment to look at his eyes without his noticing - checking on the contacts he wore. Even the best quality lenses could only hold up so long against the granite surface they covered. Sometimes the red showed through within an hour. His eyes still appeared to be deep brown, which looked surprisingly exceptional when matched with his sharp, angular features and long dark hair. If his skin were a few shades darker, he might have been comparable to an old friend of mine from La Push.

I shuddered and went back to my I-Pod. It was unsettling, comparing Bryant to Jacob. Looks meant absolutely nothing. If Jacob were sitting next to me, he wouldn't be contemplating having me for dinner, as I often suspected Bryant of doing.

I couldn't help but wish Jacob really were sitting next to me. That my life was normal enough to see me traveling for pleasure, with an ordinary human as company. But then I had to be realistic; I'd never been one for normalcy.

Bryant didn't try speaking with me for the remainder of the flight. I made no move to break the silence between us, not even when the plane touched down in Washington. I just filed out behind him, tucking my I-Pod into my back pocket and trusting that all of our arrangements were taken care of, as Nathan had assured me they would be.

We made the short walk over to baggage claim, where Bryant told me to "get my shit" before going back to pretending that I wasn't there. I was too nervous to care, really. I'd never been in the Port Angeles airport, but I'd been by it, so the memories would hit me as soon as we left the building.

I took one familiar suitcase from the conveyer belt, but watched the other cycle around twice before finally moving to grab it on the third time around. Then, trying very hard to keep my head held high, I followed Bryant out into the rain.

We weren't in the rain long; my companion produced a wide black umbrella and stepped closer to me, so we were both protected from the weather.

It was dark, of course, though after the time change it was only an hour later than when we'd boarded in Florida. We walked through the airport parking lot, towards the car I assumed was waiting for us.

The car - a black Shelby Mustang with tinted windows - occupied a spot in the very rear of the lot. What did surprise me was the lack of driver. Bryant pulled a set of keys from his pocket and hit the locks, causing the headlights to flash twice.

I didn't even ask how this was possible. Were car rental places sending out keys in the mail now to lower their amount of face to face transactions?

I stacked my luggage in the backseat before joining Bryant up front.

Really, my limited knowledge of the area was less than useful. All Bryant had to do was gaze at a map of the city, and all of the information was there in his memory, whenever he might need it. He drove us to the motel without asking for any directions from me.

We checked in, only to find that Nathan had specifically requested two ground level suites. This was, of course, because he did not think I was capable of descending stairs without finding a way to injure myself. He had odd ways of showing it, but Nathan cared. So I didn't mind that he thought I was a walking disaster.

The rooms were pleasant; each had two double beds, a TV and office area, and a small kitchenette. They were side by side and adjoined by a door that I immediately went to unlock, by Bryant's request. He joined me in my room as I unpacked, after already putting his things away in the time it took for me to choose which bed I wanted to sleep in.

The single dresser was almost full when I finished, as was the undersized closet. Bryant looked at me with wide, appraising eyes - probably wondering how I managed to fit so much in just two suitcases. I shrugged and joined him on the couch, in front of the blank television.

"So, what's on the agenda for tomorrow?" I asked, curling my legs up underneath me and getting comfortable.

"You have an eleven o'clock lunch meeting with the firm's executives, at La Bella Italia, a small Italian joint about three miles from here. Are you familiar with it?"

I could feel my face fall. I had hoped this trip would be as painless as possible, but things were not working in my favor. In town for less than twenty four hours, and already I would be revisiting the scene of my first date with Edward.

I shouldn't have been surprised. My luck was nothing if not horrendous.

"What, you don't like Italian?" Bryant sounded genuinely concerned.

With a great deal of effort, I smiled. "No, Italian is fine. I'd just been hoping that I might get the chance to eat at one of the nicer restaurants in town."

Bryant chuckled. "Well, then. Tomorrow evening we will be attending a company soirée, where you will meet the owners and all of their upstanding business associates."

I groaned. So much about me had changed since I'd moved to Florida, but one thing would always remain the same: I hated parties.

"I didn't bring anything to wear to a party," I moaned, already knowing that the excuse wouldn't hold. It'd been so long since I'd gone on one of these trips, and even then, I don't remember having to go to any social gatherings. The clothes I'd packed didn't get any more formal than a navy blue business suit.

"Nathan was counting on that. The shop upstairs has reserved something for you. If I'm not mistaking, he picked it out himself."

Well, that just meant that all hope had diminished. I fell back into the cushions with a defeated sigh. Nathan's tastes were like his personality: eccentric and unexpected. I might as well have called Alice and asked her to dress me.

But that thought depressed me, because that option no longer existed. It didn't physically hurt to think about them anymore, but there was still a hollow ache, a reminder of the part of myself that had gone missing. The wound that would never be healed.

"I don't like dresses." Yes, I know: complaining is unattractive. But I didn't really care what Bryant thought about me.

"I am well aware of that, as is Nathan. Which is why you won't be required to wear it more than once."

I detected a hint of sarcasm in his voice, but before I could come up with a witty reply, I yawned. When I blinked away the sleepiness, I caught Bryant watching me intently. My eyebrows rose in question, and he shrugged.

"Humans are interesting to watch. You in particular; your expressions are quite diverse."

I rolled my eyes. "That wasn't an expression, it was a involuntary bodily function. It means I'm tired." Perhaps more than even I had noticed, as my patience was wearing dangerously thin. It was probably all of the recent traveling, coupled with stress. Not to mention it was nearly one o'clock in the morning, Florida time.

Bryant just smiled at me. He was exceptionally strange, even stranger than I had originally thought. This was really the most time we'd ever spent one on one; usually I only ran across Bryant in company with Nathan or Sophia.

I tried to be more forward. "You could probably find something decent on the TV in your room. They have cable here, and pay per view."

"I was thinking about visiting the lounge, actually. There was a concert piano behind the stage curtains. And the bar looked appetizing."

I snorted. "Be serious. You can't drink anything from the bar."

Bryant didn't answer. I looked up to see that he was smirking. His eyes, no longer any shade of brown, glowed with the blood from his recent feedings. And then I realized what he meant.

"Bryant! You better leave the hotel patrons alone. You can't even be thirsty!"

His smirk twisted into a grin, but it held no humor. "I'm always thirsty, Bella."

He leaned closer to me as he spoke, and I struggled to exhale. My heartbeat jumped to double time in my chest. There was something unfeasibly more dangerous about his red eyes, when compared to the golden eyed stares any one of the Cullen's had given me in the past. Even when darkened by thirst, they still held a spark of that crimson glow.

"I have to go to bed." The words held absolutely no conviction. "You have to go to your room and refrain from eating anyone."

Bryant laughed and stood up, releasing me from the weight of his gaze. I inhaled deeply, feeling like my lungs were starved for air. Had I been holding my breath?

"Sleep well, Bella." He was standing by the door that joined our rooms. I hadn't seen him move. "If you need anything, I'll be just in here, spending the night with pay per view movies. Your wake up call is scheduled for eight o'clock."

I stood up and started towards the dresser, dragging my feet. "Okay, thanks. Be good." I stifled another yawn before opening the top drawer, where I'd folded the tee old tee shirt and shorts that I'd brought to sleep in. Bryant had already closed his door, but I closed the one on my side before changing - just erring on the side of caution.

The bed was softer than the one I slept on at home. I was out in minutes.

* * *

I woke early and burrowed in the covers, just listening to the rain fall outside and trying to force my most recent dreams from my mind. At night, my unconscious mind always drifted back to the time when I was most happy. Occasionally I would dream about running from James, or those terrible moments we spent together in the dance studio. Sometimes I could feel the fire of his venom spreading through my veins before I woke up, tangled in my sheets and doused in sweat.

Those dreams I could handle. The panic I felt was explainable, then. Understandable.

But the other dreams - a dull evening at home with Charlie; a shopping trip with Alice, or an uneventful day at school - these were the worst by far. When I remembered just how many good things I'd lost… it was indescribable.

Thankfully, not even my unconscious mind would put me through the memory of _him_. Not anymore; not since I'd moved from Forks. I wouldn't have been able to function if it had.

I'd been awake for about ten minutes when I decided to get up. Bryant let me have twenty-five more, time enough to shower and brush my teeth, before he started knocking on the door that joined our rooms. It was a soft knock, only insistent because it never paused as I picked out my clothes and got dressed.

Finally, I went to open it.

Bryant was dressed in fresh clothes, his long hair pulled back into a low ponytail. He pouted at me from his side of the doorway.

"Why'd you close the door?" he asked in his smooth, velvety voice.

I shrugged. "Privacy, why else?"

"Did you think I would sneak in here in the middle of the night?" His eyebrows rose with amusement.

"Not really. But then you never know, do you?"

I turned my back then, not waiting for his response. I found my shoes where they were kicked under the bed and sat down on the couch to put them on. When I looked up from my shoelaces, Bryant was standing directly in front of me.

"Going somewhere?"

"As a matter of fact, I am. If you want me to talk business at lunch, I need to eat now. Or else I'll be too hungry to pay any attention at my meeting."

Bryant laughed. "That sounds serious."

"It is," I agreed, keeping my face grave. The vampire might not have taken any notice of my skipped meals the evening before, but I certainly had. My stomach was practically roaring.

"Am I allowed to accompany you?"

I looked up at him, shocked, but hiding it well. I would never have guessed that Bryant was one to ask permission for anything.

"It's a free country." I stood up, stepping around him to get my purse off the dresser. "I'm pretty sure there's a breakfast place a few blocks down. I'd rather just walk, if that's okay with you."

He agreed, and we headed out. For the second time in less than a full day, I found myself thankful for the umbrella that he'd thought to bring.

We didn't speak on the way to breakfast. I walked quickly, with my head tilted downwards, taking notice of as little as possible. It was strange, because I'd spent very little time in Port Angeles, but it seemed like everything was achingly familiar. I could picture Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallory turning the corner ahead, or Angela Webber coming out of the library we passed.

_You're being silly_, I chided myself. All of the kids from Forks High had likely moved on a long time ago, just like I had. And who was to say that I'd even recognize them anymore, if I were to pass them on the street? It'd been over eight years since I'd been in the state; I needed to stop thinking that things were the same as they were when I left. Because they weren't. Everything had changed.

I ordered my breakfast, a waffle with strawberry syrup, and then busied myself with observing the other people in the restaurant. A blonde woman two tables down seemed familiar; I thought she might have been a grade below me in school. I was watching her scold the young boy beside her when our drinks came, dropped off by the young waitress who didn't even glance in my direction. After she was gone, Bryant tried to draw me into a conversation.

"Does your father know that you are in town?"

"Nope." I unwrapped my straw, not looking at him. I didn't want to encourage his train of thought.

"Do you plan on telling him?"

I took a long swallow of my soda before replying. "Nope."

"And why is that?"

Focusing on the table in front of me, I picked up a napkin - the first thing my eyes fell on - and started tearing it into small shreds. It was a nervous habit I'd picked up from Lorie. Bryant's low, easy chuckle filled the air.

"I sense some lingering animosity, Bella. What could make you choose to stay away from your father for so many years?"

I glared at him, unable to keep quiet any longer. "You do know that it's rude to pry in other people's business, don't you?"

"I do." Bryant smirked and leaned forward, his arms crossing on the table in front of him. "Did you really think I have an aversion to being rude?"

Instead of answering, I looked for the waitress that should have been bringing my food. How long could it take to make a single waffle?

My eyes fell on the blonde woman again; she was getting up to leave. The child - her son? - pouted as she took his arm and pulled him to his feet. I stared at them as they walked past, but she was too preoccupied with the sulking child to notice my gaze.

Bryant, however, was not so unperceptive.

"Tell me something, Bella."

I shuddered at the sound of his voice. It was more a purr than anything else. The same smooth, unbearably sweet sounding purr than _he_ would use to get answers out of me.

Nothing in the world could have made me look at Bryant then, for fear of his eyes or his expression bearing the same familiarity. Bryant had never dazzled me before, but that did not mean that he couldn't.

The napkin in my hand, forgotten for a moment, took my interest again.

"There's nothing you need to know about me that you don't know already know. I'd appreciate it if we could just leave it at that." I spoke slowly, watching the little flakes of white paper drop to the tabletop under my administration.

My comment was met with silence, for which I was surprised. I hadn't thought Bryant would be so easily discouraged, even if I had hoped. But then the reason for his silence became apparent, as my waffle was placed in front of me - just inches from where my napkin shards were creating a pile.

I dropped the rest of the paper and smiled my thanks at the waitress. She gave me a peculiar look before retreating, causing warmth to creep into my cheeks. I thought I heard Bryant laughing quietly, but I ignored him and busied myself with eating.

Thankfully, he didn't try asking anymore questions over breakfast.

I paid the bill, tipped the waitress who still eyed me as if I might break into nervous convulsions, and braced myself for the weather outside. But, to my amazement, Bryant's umbrella was unneeded for the trip back. The clouds had thinned considerably while we were inside. There was a hint of warmth in the wind that brushed over us; it was coming from the south now, rather than the north.

Was it possible that I would see the sun on my first day back in Washington? Bryant must have thought so, because he practically dragged me - his freezing hand wrapped around my wrist - back to the hotel. It might have been unlucky for him, because he'd be stuck indoors until dark, but I found myself smiling sincerely for the first time in days. It felt like a blessing, like my home was welcoming me back with open arms.

I only hoped that this luck would hold out for the rest of the week. But then I scolded myself and withdrew my hopes - I'd learned that only disappointment could come from setting them too high.


	3. Chapter 3

I stood, shivering with nervousness, outside La Bella Italia.

The sun had decided to make an early appearance, which meant I was left on my own from the start. Bryant had wished me luck from the motel room, but I didn't tell him how much I was actually going to need it. I was even further on edge now, probably more than I had ever been in my life, and it was all because of my mother.

She had impeccable timing, as always, managing to call while I was getting ready for the meeting. Bryant watched me with growing amusement as the conversation progressed. I was absolutely horrified.

Renee had called the apartment and spoken with Lorie, who, for some reason or another, felt the need to tell my mother the truth about where I was. I got the scolding of a lifetime for not being the one to disclose the information. Once she'd finished haranguing me, she started in on the questions.

"Does Charlie know where you are?"

"No, Mom. And I don't plan on telling him, either." I knew she would be disappointed. Charlie had asked me to visit more than once, and it took a lot for my father to ask anyone for anything.

I would have done anything to avoid that conversation.

"Why not? Bella, your father just wants to see you! Is that really too much to ask?" She sounded tired. I felt bad for causing her stress.

"I'm on a business trip, Mom. Would it be fair to visit Dad on Mr. Derringer's time?"

Renee had never met Nathan, of course. She thought - like everyone else - that he was a reclusive, well-paid attorney, who was choosy about which clients he took on. It was actually very true, because Nathan _was_ choosy about which cases he worked on - considering he could only take the ones that were resolvable over the phone, or in night court. Most of the suits he worked on merely required a faxed signature and an hour or two of debating terms of agreement over the phone.

But this trip had nothing to do with Nathan's firm. This was pleasure, not business. He liked to own things quietly - letting everything run just as it had before he purchased, and then sitting back and collecting money off the shares.

Renee thought I was in Washington to meet with clients, not to buy out a company.

"Mr. Derringer seems like a reasonable man, from what you've told me. I'm sure he would understand. You haven't seen Charlie in nearly a decade, Bella! That's just not normal."

"I won't even have a chance to get out of the city. My week is booked with meetings and functions, and God knows what else. Mom, you know I would love to see Charlie, and I would - if I weren't here on business." I prayed she would drop it. But this was my mother; she knew me better than that.

"Bella, this isn't about work, is it? Why in the world don't you want to go back to Forks? I know it's a miserable place, you know I know that, but you're not moving in! It's just a visit, just a quick stop to say hello. Why can't you manage that?"

I just sighed. I had no answer for her. She knew why, she just didn't want to admit it to herself.

Bryant stepped closer to where I sat on the bed; he looked interested, indeed. I pressed my phone tighter against my ear, though he could probably still hear every word that was said.

"Alright" Renee sounded like she had come to a conclusion. For a hopeful second, I thought she was deciding to leave me alone. But then her next words stopped my heart. "If you won't tell him, I will."

"You wouldn't."

Bryant was smiling now. I glared daggers at him.

"Bella, you leave me no other choice. He's your father, he has every right to see you. If you can't drive an hour to visit him, I think you should be able to tell him that."

"Mom, I'm an adult! This is my decision, not yours. Why can't you just pretend I'm still in Florida?" I was trying not to whine, but it was all becoming too much. I was scared out of my wits by the thought of revisiting the restaurant Edward had taken me to, and she wanted me to return to the very place of my tragedy. I couldn't do it; not now, not ever.

"Like I said, you leave me no choice. I'm sorry, Bella. You know I don't like taking Charlie's side. But you're an adult now, just like you said, and it's time to get over your silly childhood fears."

I'd pleaded with her for a few more minutes, but all it did was buy me some time. If I didn't tell Charlie I was back in town by the next morning, Renee would be making the call herself.

And so now - as I stood outside of the place I did not want to enter, but had absolutely no choice - I wondered how this trip could get any worse. My only chance now was to settle the deal early and get out of the state as fast as a passenger airline jet would take me.

I don't know how long I stood there, or how many times I willed myself to move but couldn't. In the end, I tried to imagine that I was somewhere else. Nothing up to that point had been working - not even telling myself that my job depended on the meetings outcome (because I knew it really didn't); not even the thought of telling Charlie I didn't want to visit could make me move forward.

Even though it made me feel a little crazy, imaging the building into something else was the best solution I could come up with. This was not the same place where I had bombarded Edward with questions about himself. This was not where I'd borrowed his jacket and first smelled the lovely aroma that was him.

Amazingly enough, my unusual tactics proved helpful. I found myself walking - or, more stumbling - towards the door. A dark haired man in a suit and tie held it open for me as he exited.

This was it. I entered the restaurant that was most definitely _not_ La Bella Italia.

The hostess, a young girl with rosy cheeks and straw-colored hair wrapped into a bun, greeted me just inside the entrance. "Can I help you?"

I tried to smile at her, but it probably came off more like a grimace. "I'm supposed to be meeting Mr. Hayes. Is he here yet?"

Unless he got tired of waiting for me, he was definitely there. I had to be more than fifteen minutes late.

"Yes, his party was missing one. Right this way, Ma'am." She took a menu - one I'd never seen before, of course, since I'd never been there - from the podium behind her and turned to walk away, motioning for me to follow.

I nearly tripped twice in a futile attempt not to take in my surroundings.

"Here we are. Mr. Hayes, I found your missing person." I saw that the hostess had stopped and was smiling at someone. I followed her gaze. Three men in dark clothing sat around a large table, each of them looking back at me. I saw all three of them, but my eyes could only return one stare.

All of my tension melted away, only to be replaced with shock and confusion. I stood frozen, locked in a gaze that was well-known to me, and yet strikingly foreign.

The two other executives were probably deliberating my sanity, but the familiar face across the table smiled openly.

"Bella, it's good to see you again." Mario stood and offered me a pale hand. I shook it numbly, barely registering how it felt like ice under my touch. "I'd like you to meet my associates. This is Mr. Hayes, and Mr. Roberts." He motioned to each of the two men in turn and I tried to smile while only getting a vague impression of their appearances. "This is Miss Bella Swan," he finished the introduction.

"Good morning, Miss Swan." The one called Mr. Roberts spoke; his voice was like sandpaper rubbing together next to Mario's. "Mr. Derringer said he would be sending a representative, but I had no idea he had the likes of you stashed up his sleeve. It's no wonder he was so confident."

I laughed shakily and half-slumped into the empty chair across from Mario.

How was I supposed to recover from this? Question after question ran through my mind, and all I could do was stare at the smiling vampire across the table. He hadn't changed a bit at first glance; his raven black curls still hung low on his forehead, completely engulfing his ears. His smile, if anything, was more carefree than ever. He looked just like Nathan's right-hand man. It was hard to believe that he wasn't anymore.

The difference that I'd missed at first - the very important detail that left me breathless, once I'd taken notice - was the color of his eyes. No longer were they any variety of red - the color that gave away a vampires diet of human blood.

Impossibly, they were golden.

I mumbled something that sounded like a greeting and cleared my throat, blushing furiously. I was recovering now, and stung from being caught so off guard. Did Nathan know who he was sending me to deal with? Was this why he was so animated about this specific purchase?

The questions kept coming: was this the start of a war between two old friends? Was it some kind of joke? Could it be possible that Nathan had been completely ignorant of Mario's part in the company?

Unlikely.

It looked like I was just going to have to roll with the punches.

"Gentlemen, thanks for taking the time to see me today. Mr. Derringer sends his good wishes, of course. He would have liked to come in my place, but it's hard for him to get away. I'm sure that you can understand."

The words poured out; I grew more confident as I continued. I could do this. Mario's smile never faded; he knew this speech by heart. He was usually the one giving it.

"We are aware that your company is in its prime right now - reaching new heights on the stock market, if I'm not mistaking. It is in any true businessman's good interest to sell while he is still on top, as I'm sure you well know. From here you could only level out, and while that may be entirely profitable and beneficial, Mr. Derringer is willing to make this deal worth your while. He will pay you shares for three years, equaling any profit margin that you are seeing now, or perhaps even increasing it, were you to strike while the iron is hot. I don't see-"

I was cut off then, by the portly one called Mr. Hayes. His graying beard touched his chest when his jaw opened in speech. "Well now, Miss Swan. You see, this all sort of came out of the blue. Our company just signed a new partnership with your friend here, Mr. Green, less than two months ago. We had no idea anyone else was interested in co-owning, let alone taking over the firm completely. Your Mr. Derringer must have some fine plans ahead, for him to act so rashly."

I smiled; they weren't going to make my job easy, but at least they were curious. Curiosity was the first of many steps, and I'd make sure to keep them heading down the right path.

"Mr. Derringer is a keen businessman. He knows a good investment when it comes his way, and he's very difficult to dissuade. But you can rest assured that very little would be altered - besides the owners name on the legal documents, of course."

This continued for some time. I ordered a drink, but took Mario's lead on passing up any food. There would be no time to eat, anyway, with all of the talking that had to be done.

Mario surprised me by staying on the sidelines of the conversation; he only added his opinion when one of the others requested it. His partners didn't seem to know about his connection to Nathan, and when Mr. Hayes inquired as to how we knew each other, he merely said that we had done business together in the past.

We'd been debating the pros and cons of their choices for over three hours when Mr. Roberts cleared his throat and pushed his chair back.

"Miss Swan, it was a pleasure to meet you. In the light of Mr. Derringer's glaring perseverance, Mr. Hayes and I have a meeting with the major stockholders tomorrow morning. We'll discuss what information you have brought to the table and go over our options more carefully."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to keep you. There just so much we need to talk about. I hope that you'll make time to see me again this week."

"Of course," Mr. Robert agreed. He leaned over slightly to access the pocket of his suit pants and produced a tan leather wallet, then continued talking as he tossed two twenty dollar bills on the table. "This should cover the tab for you, Miss Bella; I don't know if you want to stick around and actually have a meal. Or maybe you're saving your appetite for the benefit tonight?"

"Yes, and I'll be bringing an associate. I look forward to meeting the president and your shareholders."

Mr. Roberts smiled sincerely and stood. Mr. Hayes looked less pleased, but he was polite in wishing me a good afternoon as they took their leave. Mario stayed in his seat, barely acknowledging his colleagues' departure.

I fidgeted restlessly until the human men were out of earshot.

As soon as the door closed behind them, I turned to Mario and donned my 'what-the-fuck' face.

He chucked in the quiet, irritatingly beautiful way that only a vampire could hope to achieve.

"What in the world are you doing here? Why couldn't you have called? You almost gave me a heart attack." I bombarded him with questions and accused him all at once.

"Nonsense, Bella. Your heart restarted almost immediately." His expression was open, as if he'd been waiting for the others to leave so that we could have this conversation.

"Answer my questions." I couldn't afford any pleasantries.

"But you didn't ask any good ones. Really, I expected better from you."

"What's a good question, then?"

"How about the one you've been thinking about since you got here? You must be wondering if Nathan knows that I'm here."

I nodded. "I assume that he does. But then again, I would have expected him to brag about possibly ruining your partnership. Since when do you have your own company, anyway?"

"Since I acquired one. You of all people should know that it's not very difficult, if you have the funds."

"But _why_ would you buy out a company and enter into a contract with another? Why didn't you just stay with us in Florida if you're still doing what you did for Nathan? He does know you're here, doesn't he?"

I was still trying to make sense out of the situation. When Mario left us three months ago, I'd imagined that he was fed up with the pretence of humanity. I'd imagined him taking up the nomad lifestyle. It didn't add up completely, because Mario never seemed bored or agitated like Bryant, but it was the most likely reason behind his disappearance. In my mind, at least. But apparently I'd been wrong.

Now, my mind was going in so many different directions that I was starting to get dizzy.

Mario leaned forward, never breaking eye contact. "Bella, really. If Nathan knew my whereabouts, would he have sent a human?"

"No." I responded without thinking. When he put it like that, the answer was clear. Nathan, Sophia and Bryant were all livid with Mario; livid enough to set him on fire if they ever crossed his path. If Nathan knew where he was, they would have come to do just that. Cassie, of course, could never hold a grudge. "But if Nathan didn't choose this company because of your involvement, then you-"

"Chose it because of Nathan's involvement?" Mario cut me off, looking smug. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"But why?" Was Mario going to go around and screw up all of Nathan's business opportunities now? That hardly seemed fair.

"Because I hoped that he would send you."

That caught me off guard - I hadn't guessed this could be about anything other than a feud between the two vampires.

I tried to look skeptical, when all I felt was more confusion. "Did you miss me that much?"

"This isn't just about me, Bella."

I waited for him to say more, but all he did was watch me eagerly, as if I was supposed to catch on without anymore help. We continued this war of gazes - me impatient, and him expectant - for several long minutes.

Finally, I could delay no longer. As much as I wanted answers from Mario, I had my obligations to Nathan to think about.

"It's getting late. I have to go get ready for tonight." I broke our gaze by grabbing my purse from the chair back behind me. "If you're willing to give some real answers, why don't you find me at the party? Maybe we could find a quiet place to talk."

When I looked back, I was surprised to see that Mario was uncomfortable - apologetic, even.

"You can't go to the party, Bella. Think about it."

I stared at him incredulously. What _was_ this? Revenge by stealing employees?

I spoke slowly, reminding myself as well as Mario. "I have no choice but to go. Nathan wants me to schmooze these people, and I haven't even met the President yet."

Mario rolled his eyes. "Stop thinking about what Nathan wants for a minute and be rational. Who would you be bringing with you? Sophia? Bryant?"

I nodded, still not grasping his point.

"Bella, I don't manage my company on my own, talented as I may be. I've joined a new coven, whose members are also my associates. Do you really think it would be wise to bring Bryant - or even Sophia - to a function filled with such guests?"

The thought of Bryant meeting Mario face to face - with humans present, or not - was no less than ghastly. I _was_ still curious about Mario's explanation. If Bryant got a hold of him, I might not ever get the chance to hear it.

But there was something else about his statement that didn't sit well with me. A new coven, he'd said?

It was impossible not to speculate - even if the likelihood was virtually nonexistent.

But, was it really?

I was breathing heavily as I considered the possibilities. I'd spent a lot of time with the Cullen's when I lived in Forks. I'd been informed about Tanya's family in Alaska, but what were the chances of more vegetarian covens existing in the area? Would I have been told, if they had?

The Cullen's couldn't be living in the area anymore. Too many years had passed; it would be obvious that they weren't aging. So it couldn't be them. But Mario wouldn't have adapted to feeding off animals on his own accord, of that I was positive.

So, the Denali clan, perhaps? I wanted answers so badly, I was practically shaking. But the restaurant was filling up with the early dinner crowd and Mario looked more uncomfortable with each warm body that filed through the door.

It was strange. The Mario I remembered would have kept the conversation flowing, indifferent as to whether or not we were overheard. But then, that _was_ when he had Sophia's power to back him up.

"Can we go somewhere?" My throat closed around the words, making them so quiet that I could barely hear myself.

As much as I wanted answers to my questions, I could not help but fear what I might learn.

Mario stood without responding and stepped around the table to help me up. Silently, we weaved through the tables towards the entrance.

Outside, we stood in the shadows beside the building. The last rays of afternoon sunlight were creeping further and further into the street ahead of us; the shadows of twilight claimed more ground right before our eyes.

I wasn't sure how long we stood there, watching people pass on the sidewalk. It was just long enough for me to get lost in my thoughts again - wondering if I should be getting back before Bryant decided to go on to the party without me - when Mario spoke, startling me.

"Do you think you could convince Nathan that you should attend the party by yourself?"

The words were barely more than a whisper, and he stood terribly close to me so that I was the only person who could possibly hear him. The sidewalks were still crowded, despite the approach of dusk.

I thought about it for a moment, wrapping my arms around myself against the cold air that Mario's body put out.

If it was for the good of his relationship with the firm in Port Angeles, I was fairly positive that Nathan would allow me to go solo. And if I explained it like that, it wouldn't really be a lie at all. Nathan's reputation would go down the drain if his associate physically attacked a company partner, which was the only outcome I could imagine coming out of Bryant's reunion with Mario.

But… Was it Nathan's approval that I needed to be worrying about? I shook my head in horror as my thoughts took me in a whole new direction.

"You think he would refuse you that simple freedom?" Mario misinterpreted my actions.

"No, Nathan would be easy enough. But Bryant wouldn't like it. He's got nothing to do as it is. He might take it personally and do something to get back at me." I shuddered at the images my imagination conjured up.

Mario looked skeptical. "Nathan made it clear that his employees are not to be harmed. What could he possibly do?"

I laughed loudly - and probably a little crazily too, because I got a few funny looks from the pedestrians nearby. I tried to calm myself, but my voice still came out high pitched anyway. "He could _kill _someone!"

The scene played through my mind in fast forward; it lasted just a few seconds, but it left me shaken. I'd come back from the party, throwing my purse on the dresser and kicking off those damn uncomfortable high heels before going to open the door that would reveal Bryant's room. And then I fell against the doorframe, my legs going out at the sight of the housekeeping woman, lifeless on the couch. Bryant, standing behind the couch, smiled sweetly at me and brushed his hand through the dead woman's hair.

"Did you enjoy yourself Bella?" He asked, red eyes glowing. "I truly hope so, because I sure did."

Mario's murmur of agreement brought me back to reality before my imagination self passed out cold from shock.

"You will have to lie to both of them, then. Limp, fake an injury, an illness, something."

"But they expect that," I argued.

"Nathan would expect you to actually injure yourself before you would fake it. You'll just have to be very convincing with Bryant."

I nodded; I could do that. It would explain why I was out so late, too, if I said that I'd made a trip to the ER.

"Okay, but what about Mr. Hayes? He and Mr. Roberts are anticipating both me and an associate to show up. This will ruin Nathan's prospects, you know that, right?"

"Nonsense. You worry about Bryant, and I'll take care of everything tonight. I'll call you in the morning and we'll go from there."

I agreed, but hesitantly. It felt wrong to go behind Nathan's back, keeping secrets, but what else could I do? He had no idea what I was dealing with here. My choices were between trusting Mario, or telling Nathan who I'd come across today. The option I'd chosen - trusting Mario - was most likely to keep everyone alive.

Well, as alive as they could be.

Mario was smiling again as he walked me to my car. Like most vampires - at least, most southern vampires - he was more relaxed after the sun had set. I'd just pulled my keychain out to unlock the doors when the streetlights along the road flared to life, all at once.

Startled, I jumped and dropped the keys.

Mario chuckled and was holding them out to me before I could consider bending down to pick them up myself.

"Incredible," he said, "I had thought it was impossible to frighten you, and yet all it took was a few lights."

I rolled my eyes and resisted sticking my tongue out at him. "I'm scared of a lot of things," I disagreed absentmindedly as I fumbled with the keys. I managed to hit the button that showed a lock opening and the headlights flashed as they had in the airport parking lot the night before.

"That's not what I've been hearing," Mario quipped, so quietly I wasn't sure if I'd heard him right.

I turned to question him, but he cut me off.

"Bryant's probably growing restless by now. You'd better go head him off, before he decides to leave without you. I don't know how he would conduct himself around the likes of my coven."

I couldn't argue with that. Bryant was used to being cooped up during the day, but at night he was used to having his freedom. I'd be lucky if he wasn't already gone by the time I got back.

I, too, thought it was a bad idea to let Bryant wander unknowingly into a room full of unfamiliar, strange-eyed vampires.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow?" I meant it as a statement, but it came out like a question. Mario, already backing away from my car, smiled and nodded reassuringly before turning his back.

I climbed into the car and grabbed my cell phone from where I'd left it in the consol. The screen informed me of four missed calls: two from Bryant's phone, one from Nathan, and one from Cassie. Nathan's call was most recent, only fifteen minutes previously, so I returned it first.

It was a short conversation; apparently Nathan was going out with Lorie, and he was in a rush to pick her up. I moaned about a terrible sprained ankle - using experiences from my past to gauge the amount of pain I should be in - as I drove like a maniac to get back to the motel.

I didn't have to fake remorse when I apologized for spoiling his plans. I did feel bad; and I was stressed to the point that my voice probably sounded like a wounded child.

Nathan was understanding - he assured me it was no big deal, and insisted that I spend the rest of the night recuperating, before hurrying me off the phone.

"We'll talk in more detail tomorrow," he promised, and I could hear the sound of a car engine roaring to life in the background. "I was supposed to be at your apartment ten minutes ago, but Cassie wouldn't let me leave until someone had heard from you." He laughed in an irritated way.

"I'm sorry," I said, for the fifth time.

"Don't be," he replied. "I knew you were a klutz when I sent you over there. But don't be surprised if Bryant will not stay inside with you all night. We've spoken on what is allowed and what isn't, so don't lose any sleep about what he is doing."

I agreed reluctantly, knowing that there was no way I would not worry while Bryant was gone. But it wasn't for the reason that Nathan assumed.

Sure, I was still troubled by the idea of Bryant killing someone in Port Angeles. But now, I was also imagining him finding his way to the benefit and bumping into Mario. That scenario was so much worse than the murdering of one human, because I knew that Bryant would take many innocent lives in his quest to tear Mario limb from limb.

I parked close to the motel and hobbled towards the entrance - just in case Bryant was looking out the window. I giggled quietly to myself, a little hysterically. It seemed absurdly appropriate; my return to Washington just wouldn't have been compete without lying about injuries and some limping around.

* * *

A/N: I didn't like this chapter as much as the previous two.. But it was necessary for the plot, I think.

I want to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, I really do appreciate it!! : - )

I promise the Cullen's will be integrated into the story really soon, in the next chapter or two. I know you guys are probably wondering where they are… lol.


	4. Chapter 4

Bryant wasn't around when I got back to the motel. There was a short note on the table in my room, saying he'd gone out and that I should be careful not to further injure myself. I laughed nervously, still reeling off all the recent events, and paced around the room.

What was I going to do?

Mario had made it clear that this was about more than Nathan's intended purchase. He'd wanted me to come for some other reason; something for his benefit, more likely than not. He was the same Mario I remembered, except that maybe he took more precautions in public than he used to. He was still smug, still so arrogant that it made a person want to scream.

But there was more to him now. No longer did he work under Nathan; his doings were now his own, and that brought a new sense of self-righteousness to the table. Mario would be the one giving orders now. I could not help but look up to him for that.

He'd found his own way, and I was intensely curious about what that had entailed. Where had he met his new coven, and how had they reacted to him? Did he fit in immediately, or had he struggled with the changes? Living in the north had undoubtedly provided him with several options -- so why had he chosen to take part in an even more difficult lifestyle than the one he'd left behind?

I had considered Mario a friend before he left, in a way that Sophia and Bryant had never been. In a way that had nothing to do with work.

Maybe that was why I was so quick to trust him, and lie for him.

Or maybe I was just taking the chickens way out and avoiding any conflict.

Either way I put it, there would definitely be more lying to come. I was going to have to be crafty in order to see Mario without Bryant catching on. He had no real interest in the deal we'd come to finalize, but he wouldn't want to be left out of things, either.

And now, on top of everything else, I had to call Charlie. Letting Renee call for me was a tempting idea, but I knew that option would be the cause of another long-winded lecture. Only my father would have a harder time conveying his feelings than Renee did, and our conversation would be full of long, awkward pauses.

I sat down on the couch in my room, not bothering to turn on any lights. For five long minutes, I stared at my fathers name in my phone contact list. My thumb hovered just above the green 'send' button, and, though I nearly touched it several times, I just couldn't bring myself to press it.

Eventually, I decided to delay just a bit longer. Charlie got up before Renee, anyway; I could catch him in the morning.

But that left me with nothing to do, expect worry about what Bryant was up to. And I couldn't just do that - it would drive me insane.

I made a trip to the mini bar and poured half the contents of one of the tiny bottles into a plastic cup, then dumped a soda from the fridge on top of it and returned to the couch. Sipping on my drink, I flipped through the TV channels until I found an old episode of Emerald on the Food Network. The drink - weak as it might have been - warmed me and calmed my nerves, and I sank back into the couch, watching Emerald but not really paying attention.

After a few minutes, my mind began to wander elsewhere. It was not long before I came up with the notation that I should be elsewhere too. Bryant was out. I needed to speak with Mario. The only reason I couldn't go to the party was because of Bryant, so what was stopping me now?

I jumped up, barely managing to sit my drink on the table before it spilt, and then took off running down the hall towards the dress shop.

It ended up taking me over an hour to get ready. The dress was surprisingly simple; it was your basic 'little black dress'. I showered and got dressed before doing my makeup, and, just as I had that morning before going to La Bella Italia, I did my best not to think about my destination.

There might have been good reason for my attending this party, but it was still a party. And therefore, I was going to walk willingly into my own personal hell. I only hoped that I could find Mario quickly, he should be able to find us a place to talk. I'd already gotten out of my obligation to Nathan, so all that I had to be concerned with was getting answers. It would be best if the others CEO's didn't even know I was there, lest word somehow get back to Nathan.

I left a note for Bryant explaining how my ankle was still killing me and I'd gone to see the doctor about getting some paid medicine. It wasn't something I would normally do, but it sounded very human, and I thought that Bryant might buy it. Then again, if he stayed out all night, it wouldn't matter.

The directions on my invitation were easy enough to go by; the benefit was being held just outside of town in a golf resort community. The gate was left open and I followed the signs from there, down thin winding roads bordered by colossal houses. I came to a full parking lot but continued forward, drawn by signs that promised a valet service up front. The Resort House came into sight quickly then; it was a white, columned building, with dozens of brightly lit windows facing the road.

The valet -- a young man in a black suit and the customary red vest -- took my keys with a smile and handed me a small slip of paper in return. There was no turning back then. All of the panicky feelings I'd been able to repress on the way over hit me at once, and it was all I could do to shuffle my way up the path towards the entrance.

I was almost there when the music could be heard from inside. It was soft and soothing, something classical, but it didn't help calm me like it might have under other circumstances. Tonight, all it did was remind me of what I was voluntarily subjecting myself to.

But it was too late to run back to the car now. I was already almost there.

I resisted balling my hands into nervous fists as I passed through the open doors. The entryway was occupied by several well dressed people; a few if them looked like they might be waiting for someone, but most were engrossed in conversation. I made my way towards the main room, scanning the faces of everyone I passed.

The main room was crowded, packed to the brim with tables and chairs, people and decorations. There was an orchestra on a stage that jutted out of the far wall, and just to my right was a full bar and buffet table. The dance floor was in the middle of the room and swarming with dancing couples.

I started walking around the outside edge of the room, staying well away from most of the people, but close enough to see if they looked familiar. There had to be over two hundred people present. How was I supposed to pick one vampire out of the throngs of unfamiliar faces?

To my surprise, it was only minutes after I entered that I saw a flash of pale white skin in the midst of a tight crowd, just on the edge of the dance floor. I switched directions, trying to keep my goal in sight as I winded through the congested seating area.

I didn't even make it halfway through the arrangement of tables before catching my heel on… something. Probably one of the overflowing table cloths, or a tiny indention in the wooden planked floor.

Or maybe it was just fate being very, very cruel to me, because once I'd caught my balance on the back of the nearest chair, I found myself standing by a table of figures from my past. It was like I'd taken a step back in time, back to my junior year of high school. Only this room was much fancier than our cafeteria had ever been.

"Bella Swan, is that you?" An older, more filled out version of the Jessica Stanley from my memories stood up and rushed around the table, a bright smile lighting her face. Her dress -- a strapless, blood red cocktail gown that barely covered her rounded hips -- clashed unattractively with her overly tanned skin.

I took a deep breath and forced a smile to my face. The chair next to Jessica's empty one was occupied by none other than Mike Newton; next to him sat Lauren Mallory -- whose chair I'd caught myself on -- and an attractive stranger I assumed to be her date.

This reunion could have been plucked straight out of one of my nightmares.

"Hey, guys." Luckily, I sounded civil -- if not a tad bit melancholy.

Jessica's thrilled gaze danced from me to the individuals at her table and back. "We haven't seen you in _ages_! Charlie said you'd gone to Florida, but it was a real shock to everyone when you didn't come back."

I laughed halfheartedly. "It's more of a shock to find you guys are still here. I didn't expect to see anyone from Forks."

Much to my relief, Jessica hadn't changed that much -- she was still more eager to talk about herself than anything else. In a matter of minutes, I was filled in on years worth of events. Mike and Jessica had gotten married after going to the same University in northern California, where they now lived with their three year old son, Mike Newton Jr.

Apparently, Mike was heavily invested in the firm I'd come to deliberate with. He was, as Jessica put it, "one of the principal stockholders." Laurens presence was not explained, so I could imagine that she was only there to keep Jessica constant company.

Just like old times, Lauren barely spared me a snide glance. Her dress was vaguely classier than Jessica's -- a less flamboyant pale blue number that actually covered more than it revealed.

I started letting my attention wander, trying to observe the people around us as inconspicuously as possible. Jessica, apparently no more observant than now than in our teenage years, just kept right on with her one-sided conversation.

Lauren, however, laughed obnoxiously. She'd turned around in her chair to face us at some point, but I didn't notice until the words that followed made my head snap in her direction.

"I bet she's looking for Edward Cullen," she scoffed haughtily, looking towards Jessica. "But he probably took off the moment she walked in."

She might have been talking to Jessica, but the words were like a physical attack on my peace of mind. For a long second, I was absolutely speechless. I was still less than articulate when I responded.

"What?"

Jessica shot Lauren a look that might have been reproachful, if it weren't for the smile playing around the edge of her mouth. I took an unsteady step backwards, barely registering that Lauren had laughed again.

It was impossible; none of the Cullen's could be in Washington.

_He can't be here. He can't be._ The reassurance floated through my alarmed mind, but my heart still hammered vigorously when Jessica turned her understanding smile on me.

"You don't know?" Her voice was sugary; far too sweet to be authentic. "Edward and some of the other Cullen's are part of Mario Green's organization. This benefit is in support of the companies merger."

It was as if the rest of the party no longer existed. I reached for the closest stable object -- the back of Lauren's chair -- just to keep a steady grasp on reality. And, perhaps, to keep myself from collapsing. Jessica's expression of faux concern filled my vision.

More than anything, I wanted her to laugh and tell me she was joking. I would laugh, too; I would welcome her and Lauren's cruel humor, if only it were just a joke.

Running back to Bryant and telling him the truth didn't seem like so bad an option now. Not when the alternative was exposing myself to my past in the most agonizing way possible. Seeing Edward again was out of the question. I wouldn't survive it, not after all the things that had happened between us.

"Bella? Are you okay? You look a little sick," Jessica was watching me carefully. Lauren was snickering. Mike, whom Jessica must have taken the time to train, was listening silently, though he looked uncomfortable.

Somehow I managed to nod in response to Jessica's inquiry. Truthfully, I was less okay than I'd been in years. The usual hollow ache had magnified; I felt like I was being wrenched apart all over again.

But I couldn't let them know that.

I took another step back and turned -- back towards the direction I'd come from. The room around me, with all its decorations and lights, became nothing more than a blur as I pushed my way through the crowd towards the exit.

Why I'd come didn't matter; why I was in Washington didn't even matter. At that moment, all I could feel was the desire to be away from all those strangers, and the even stronger desire to be away from the few people that I knew. I wanted to run back to Florida, to my simple life there; where no one knew that I was weak enough to run from my problems.

Jessica's shrill voice called out behind me; she sounded appalled at my behavior, but I didn't care. I thought I heard Mike trying to get her attention, but I didn't look back to see if I was imagining it or not. I was going to escape to the car, and then I was going back to the motel to book my flight back home.

At least, that was my plan… until I plowed straight into someone's chest. Someone tall and very strong, because the impact sent me flying backwards, but didn't effect them one bit. I was fairly sure I knew who that someone was, but the knowledge only made me try to walk around them without looking up to see if I was right.

I was so close; the open doors that led to the entrance hall were just ten paces away. But I was stopped again.

This time it was a voice that made me pause, not a physical obstacle. I could run -- I _wanted_ to run -- but my body refused to listen to the command.

"What, you're just going to leave without even saying hello? After we came all the way back to _Washington_ to see you?"

I laughed, even as tears were forming in my eyes, and slowly turned around.

* * *

Edward's POV

"Hey, look!" Emmett leaned across the table, pointing to something behind me. The table was made of solid wood, but it groaned under the weight Emmett forced upon it. "How're they for some familiar thoughts, Edward? Does Jessica still think you're hot stuff?" He cackled loudly at his own joke.

"Do you think you could refrain from breaking the table?" I asked, ignoring what my brother was asking both aloud and in his thoughts. It didn't take a mind reader to see that Jessica's eyes were glued to our table. I'd been trying to block her thoughts since her party had arrived some fifteen minutes ago.

It was no surprise to find that her mentality was exactly the same it had been when I'd last heard her 'voice.' What had surprised me was the silence coming from the space next to her, where Mike Newton sat. His mind was empty, to the point that I'd actually had to look over to be sure he was still there. He was there, all right; his face was void of expression as Jessica chattered away about the decorations.

Emmett noticed, too. _I bet she could kick the personality out of anyone in this room if you gave her enough time._

I chucked; Emmett was right. It was as if Mike had surrendered and now let Jessica do the thinking for both of them.

"I wonder what Rosalie is doing?" And in a split second, his thoughts had completely changed direction, dipping into notions that I did _not_ want to see.

"Calm down, Emmett, you'll see her in an hour, tops." Alice joined the conversation from my other side. "I don't know about you guys, but if Bella's not coming then I'm not going to sit around here all night."

I couldn't have agreed more. In fact, I would have avoided the event altogether, if only Alice's vision could have come just a little quicker. I couldn't blame Alice -- though I might still have, if she hadn't been as disappointed as I was. She had been seeing Bella coming to the party all morning. In each vision, Bella reacted to seeing us in a different way; first she would run away, then she would cry, and once she even tripped and fell into the buffet table, sending potato salad flying over the company president and his wife.

Only one thing was consistent: Bella came to the party. It was not much, considering she still might run from me or burst into tears, but I had been relying on it.

When Alice's vision changed only minutes after the guests started arriving, I felt like breaking something. I'd let Alice play dress up, even going so far as letting her rub that filthy smelling moose in my hair so it would lay flat and perhaps add a few years to my appearance. And now it was all for nothing. At least I had opted out of the fake facial hair -- the newest addition to Alice's collection of torture devices. Surprisingly, Emmett thought the idea was intriguing, and now sported a mustache that was a few shades darker than his hair color.

Everyone in the house had told him how ridiculous it was -- expect the one who mattered. Rosalie -- who was going hunting with Jasper once we'd left -- had professed that she found the offensive fur to be 'adorable.' From that point on, Emmett wore the mustache with a proud smile and we knew that there would be no deterring him. He wouldn't have believe me if I told him that Rosalie's mind was brimming with laughter when she'd uttered the false statement, so I kept that information to myself.

The clubhouse ballroom had been nearly empty upon our arrival. Alive had had her hand in the decorating of the place, which required ensuring that everything was to her satisfaction before the guests were scheduled to show up. Of course, I was willing to sit through hours of ballroom inspections if it meant I would get the chance to see Bella. I only wanted to _see_ her, nothing more.

Now I wished that I had gone hunting with the others.

_Don't look so down, Edward._

I glanced up, seeking out the source of my name as if it had been called aloud. The voice was recognizable; it was that of our newest family member, Mario. His eyes caught mine briefly from two tables down before he reabsorbed himself into the conversation around him.

_Bella is not going anywhere anytime soon. You'll get your chance, but it has to be done correctly._

I exhaled heavily and tried not to scowl. He was right, of course; though it was difficult to admit it to myself or to anyone else, Mario knew Bella better than I did now. He had spent more time with her than I ever had.

In the eight years since I'd removed myself from Bella's life, he -- along with others I do not know -- had become like Bella's family. This was evident in the manner he used to speak about her; his thoughts only reinforced what was plainly revealed in his words: Bella was cared for.

It was a relief to know that she was well and relatively happy.

When I asked my family to leave Forks, I'd also requested that Alice not look for Bella's future. I'd understood ahead of time just how difficult it would be to leave Bella, and I wanted the divide to be absolute. If Alice's visions of Bella remained as common as they were at the time, I wouldn't have been able to endure it. I couldn't bear seeing her in any form, not even when the images were of events that had yet to occur. It was only a matter of days before this request broadened, and even thinking of Bella was prohibited when I was within reading distance. Esme took down all the pictures she'd framed from the past year in Forks without waiting for me to ask her to do so.

So, as it was, it had been nearly eight years since I'd been subjected to the memory of Bella. I was not happy, but I was reasonable. It was enough that she might be able to move on and live a life that was deserving of her. The pain I was left with was the only reminder I let myself be aware of. It reminded me of what I had done to her perfect human life, of how many times it had almost been taken from her while she was under my 'protection.' I accepted the pain; I welcomed it. Because I deserved every second of it, and then more.

It was nothing out of the ordinary when Alice saw a stranger coming. The size of our family was known to draw interest, but no conflicts had ever come out of these meetings -- save for one, several years ago. We were staying in Alaska with Tanya's family at the time, which could only attract more attention. It's rare to come across such a large group of my kind coexisting in peace, and vampires are naturally curious of anything more powerful than they are.

When Mario arrived, we expected the typical nomad -- they show fascination towards our lifestyle, but could never accept it for themselves. They come, they learn, and ultimately, they leave.

Mario surprised us all, me especially. We were scarcely introduced to one another when he asked about our golden eyes, and Carlisle immediately launched into what has become a very familiar explanation for our preferred prey.

At that point, our visitors mind was usually disgusted, or disturbed. They would think back to a recent hunt, remembering the rush of pleasure that came from ingesting human life. They would try to imagine hunting only animals, but most of their minds shy away from even creating such images.

Mario was different. His mind didn't stray back to his last murder, and there was not one ounce of disgust to be found about him. He smiled, he was joyful; and he could not stop looking at Tanya. He was so intrigued by the idea of our family that it was not until Carlisle asked about his past that he thought about it.

Though I was instantly taken aback by the torrent of information, I let Mario describe his life aloud without interrupting. I listened, and watched, as he spoke about a coven that drank from humans but did not kill them. The images provided through his thoughts were inconceivable; I had never heard of vampires doing anything like this, yet he seemed to be telling the truth. There was no dishonesty in his mind.

The lives of my kind are often set in stone from the moment we become what we are. A newborn, upon completion of his change, will typically crave one thing only: blood. Animal blood would suffice, assuming there were no humans in the vicinity; but once a newborn has taken the scent of human blood, it will inevitability become the sole target of their desire. The body that carries that target becomes nothing more than a thing; human life ceases to bear any emphasis on our conscience.

This way of thinking usually remains unchanging; so it is worth taking notice when a vampire, or a group of vampires, decide to go against the conventional. We were all a bit stunned by the innovative manner in which his coven had been conducting themselves.

Mario was encouraged by our awe, enough to go into the more detail of how they operated. It was then, when he was talking about human aides, that her face flashed through his mind. For the shortest fraction of a second, I saw _her. _Bella's face, only vaguely different from the last time I'd seen her, was somehow in this strangers thoughts, amongst other humans that I had never seen before.

I didn't stop to consider what Mario had been talking about when she appeared in his mind. I didn't think at all; I reacted, violently. Jasper could sense the change in my mood, but he was not swift enough to stop me.

If Mario were more normal, if his response to my hostility had been more ordinary, it could have been a fight to the death right then. There was no reason behind my actions, and I think now that Mario could sense that. Some part of me assumed that the humans in his mind were but victims to his covens strange practice. The rest of me might have known better, considering the context surrounding her appearance, but, at the moment, I could not reach those thoughts if my life were to depended on it.

It took both Jasper and Emmett to restrain me. Jasper sent out waves of tranquility and Emmett shouted questions, out of which I was only able to recognize a single word: Bella's name. Apparently I had called her name in my attempted assault on Mario, and this alerted my family to her involvement in the situation; or else they thought I had suddenly lost it, after all those years. When I was finally in control of myself enough to hear their thoughts, I learned that most of them were taking the latter into consideration.

As Mario relayed his connection to Bella, the tenor of each voice in my mind changed dramatically. From confusion to understanding, and then to many variations of disbelief and delight. Of those of us who had spent time with Bella in Forks, Rosalie was the only one who was not pleased to hear news of her. Everyone felt the irony that scourged through me; I'd taken the vampires from her life, but Bella just went and found more.

It hurt to think about her, even now, after she had been staring in my thoughts for the past several months. There was hope now, the chance of changing things to resemble the order in which they were back when I was truly happy with Bella. I had been given an opportunity I had never allowed myself to consider; not until Mario made the possibility seem entirely plausible. This is why I allowed her image to play though my mind, and why I allowed myself the remembrance of her scent, and the soft, so smooth texture of her skin.

It was hell to think of her before, when there was no chance of seeing her again. Now it was still hell, but hell with a beautiful silver lining.

I glanced at Mario again, remembering how he proved himself again and again over the time that we'd known him. It was he who had concocted this plan, he who had set everything into motion, despite the hesitation on the part of my family.

As I watched, Mario made a whole table of company directors come apart in fervent laughter.

I shook my head and chuckled to myself, hearing his joke repeated through each of their thoughts.

Emmett followed my gaze. "What's so funny?" His voice, as well as his thoughts, illustrated his boredom.

Turning back to my own table, I grinned and began telling Mario's joke. "There's a presidential candidate and an astronaut in -"

Alice stiffened in her chair beside me. Her hand, which had been resting idly on the table, twitched and then clenched slightly into the creamy white tablecloth. I sought to bring her thoughts to the front of my mind just as the vision blotted out whatever she had been thinking of.

I observed like a bystander, seeing myself through Alice's eyes in her vision. What I saw made me grateful for still being seated, and not having left the party at my earliest convenience. It made my breath catch and charged the whole atmosphere with a new light of hopefulness. Alice squealed as the image faded and her thoughts burst into chaotic disorder. Emmett raised his eyebrows, perplexed. I just grinned, for it was the only reaction that I could muster.

She was coming.

* * *

This chapter took forever, to write… Hopefully my version of Edward didn't suck too bad. Review and let me know what you thought. If you guys liked it, I'll continue in his POV up till where Bella's stopped, and maybe further. But if not, I'll just pick back up with Bella's POV. Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

Alice was nearly bouncing in her seat by the time Bella was expected to arrive. Her thoughts were indecipherable, flashing by so quickly that I could only make out the underlying ripple of excitement. The party continued around us undisturbed, though somehow it felt as if the whole world should still in preparation for this moment. I shifted in my chair, angling so that the ballroom entrance was in my line of sight.

When she walked into the room, our table was completely silent. There were those who spoke around us -- perhaps attempting to capture our attention -- but their words were merely background music to Bella Swan's entrance.

She was still breathtaking. I could not take my eyes from her as she stood in the doorway. In an instant, I saw her in the minds of several of the party goers, each taking her in from a slightly different angle. I blocked out the thoughts that accompanied the images, uninterested in the reaction Bella brought out in anyone but myself.

Bella didn't even notice all of the gazes she drew. She slipped around the outside edge of the room, attempting, I'm sure, to be surreptitious. It did her no good, obviously -- clad in a frayed tee shirt and shorts, she could make an impact on nearly anyone; in a short black dress, with the perfect amount of her long legs revealed, Bella was beyond being unnoticeable. There were small variations in her appearance and demeanor, but nothing that would make her unrecognizable as the Bella Swan who had invaded my simple life in Forks. If anything, the years had only heightened her allure. She had grown into herself. Whereas the teenage Bella was beautiful, the Bella _now _was truly stunning; neither my imagination nor Alice's visions had done her any justice.

She spoke with no one, somehow managing to avoid the stares of those around her while her eyes scanned the room. Her face was the picture of composure, framed by layers of straightened chocolate locks that fell, at its lowest, just below her chin. The shortened hair was a small shock -- I'd erroneously assumed she'd been wearing it up from the short glimpse I'd gleaned in Alice's mind. In the year I'd spent with her, she had never taken more than an inch off the length at a time.

I stiffened as Bella's gaze danced over our table. She couldn't possibly make out our identities, not at such a distance, with the entire seating area and all of its occupants between us. Her eyes lingered in our direction for several seconds before she changed course, a stiff smile on her face as she braved the crowd.

Alice gasped, and then uttered a curse.

Without taking my eyes from Bella, dutifully spared a bit of my awareness to survey Alice's thoughts. I was met with the blurred end of a vision, in the last second before her thoughts dipped back into coherency.

"What is it?" I demanded, still only allocating the smallest amount of attention to Alice's plight. Whatever it was that she had seen, it had caused anxiety to merge with the excitement in her thoughts. That bothered me, but not enough to make me question her further when I got no verbal or mental response.

Bella crossed the room with grace I never would have expected from her. The dimmed, low hanging lights of the ballroom brought out flickers of red in her dark hair, though the color was unnoticeable to Bella's other observers, whose minds still beheld less vivid images of her. Her pale skin was duller in their perspective, and her features less striking; though they could still see her as beautiful, no human could hope to perceive the splendor my heightened vision provided.

Alice grabbed my arm, but just as I was going to turn and ask her what was wrong, Bella's next step landed awkwardly and she pitched forward towards the table in front of her. The grip of steel on my forearm was the only thing that kept me from dashing over to catch her before she could fall. I very nearly ripped that arm of Alice's right off in my attempt.

"No, Edward," Alice hissed, yanking back on my arm. "You'll only make it worse. We have to wait."

A second later, Bella caught herself on the back of Lauren Mallory's chair.

The thoughts at Lauren's table instantly became louder as she and her friends realized who had literally stumbled upon them. I cringed at the words of hostility that emulated from that direction.

_Wow… Bella looks even hotter now than in high school. _Mike's mind jumped to life as if Bella were the alarm clock that forced his thoughts out of slumber. _I wonder if she's here to see Cullen. They can't have kept up their relationship all these years._

I scowled, because he was right. I only wished that he wasn't; that I had not been so irrational with my concepts of protecting Bella. If only I had taken her views into consideration, the last eight years of my life might have been worth remembering. She clearly insisted on having dangerous friends in her life, so why Mario's old coven? Why not us?

Because of what I had done, that was why not.

Jessica stood up and spoke with Bella in a sweet voice that was almost a direct contrast to her thoughts. I followed the interaction both with my eyes and through Jessica's thoughts. Bella smiled as she greeted the figures from her past; Jessica assumed it was genuine, but I could tell otherwise. And then Lauren decided to act upon the malice that drifted through her every thought.

She brought my name into the conversation, causing Jessica to glance briefly in my direction and grin like the Cheshire cat. I only noticed because my face appeared in her thoughts; with my own eyes I watched the fake smile melt from Bella's face. For a moment she looked wounded, like she had on the afternoon in the woods by Charlie's house; that abysmal afternoon that should have never taken place. She took a step backwards, not seeming to notice that Lauren had started laughing.

Jessica forced her smile away as she told Bella how my family was connected with Mario's organization.

Bella's beautiful pale face turned a light shade of green and she leaned to the side, balancing herself with Laurens chair again.

I wanted to intervene. Surely I would be able to say something, do something, which would make her feel well again. Alice, however, had other plans.

Jessica asked if Bella was alright; her thoughts were laughing as wickedly as her friend was aloud. Bella responded with a slight nod, and yet she retreated back another step and moved to turn around.

Alice exhaled in a rush. "Emmett, go stop her before she leaves." Her hand tightened on my arm and I realized that I had started to stand up again. "Edward, stay here. Every time you decide to show yourself to her, it only makes the scenario worse."

Emmett had crossed the room before Alice finished talking.

Bella – in her haste to leave the building – didn't notice anyone around her until she collided into Emmett's waiting frame. Even then, she did not look up; she fell several steps and then tried to pass around him, seemingly unsurprised by his intervention.

Emmett grinned and then spoke loudly, addressing Bella's retreating back. "What, you're just going to leave without even saying hello?" he demanded, false hurt coating the humor in his voice. "After we came all the way back to _Washington_ to see you?"

For a second, Bella was frozen in place, not unlike a deer caught in headlights. From Emmett's mind I could smell the saline of her tears, see the rigid muscles in her back. Her hands were fists, which slowly flexed open as a tiny, near hysterical giggle rose from her throat and she slowly turned around.

_She looks so sad_, Emmett observed, a note of depression in his thought voice.

"You didn't come to see me," Bella finally spoke, breaking the silence that spread between them. "You're here on business, just like me."

Emmett shrugged, not affected at all by her misunderstanding. "Okay, maybe I am here on business. The same business Edward and Alice are here for: to see you. It's about time you decided to grace this side of the country with your clumsy presence."

Bella looked surprised, and then she laughed. The tears that threatened to fall moments beforehand were now gone. She looked to the side in what might have been a natural observation, but both Emmett and I recognized that her gaze went to the exit with a hint of longing.

"Why don't you sit with us?" Emmett offered, waving a hand towards where Alice and I sat.

"I was actually looking to speak with Mario." She tensed on the name, which could have been accidental, but Emmett didn't think so.

"He's sitting near us, but he's got a table full of execs to please. You should visit with us until he is free."

Bella shook her head. "I think I'm just going to get out of here. I can't stand the party atmosphere, you know." She edged to the side, bringing herself nearer to the exit.

"Aw, Bella," Emmett was quickly resorting to whining. "Just stick around a little while. I promise no one will bite you."

Finally, Bella's smile was heartfelt. Her real smile brought light to her eyes; it made her glow like a goddess. Such emotion would be impossible to fake. But it was only a matter of seconds before the expression faded and she shook her head again, almost as though she were trying to clear it.

"Do me a favor," she requested, with another small step towards the door. "Tell Mario I stopped by, would you?"

Emmett took a step in her direction, ready to block the door if it should become necessary again. At the same time, Alice's hand went slack on my arm. She was out for less than a minute, time enough for Bella and Emmett to exchange a few more words, and then she shot out of her seat like a bullet out of a gun. Without a word of explanation, Alice tore over to Mario's side and leaned down, speaking quietly in his ear.

"_Please, will you stop Bella from leaving? It's the only way I can see her staying long enough to talk with us."_

Though she spoke too softly for even my hearing to catch, Mario's mind provided me with the missing dialog. Mario did not hesitate in the slightest; he apologized and bade his company a good evening before pushing himself up from the table. His eyes met mine over the heads of those between us.

_I'll meet you upstairs in ten minutes._

I gave a slight nod in response and then watched him melt into the crowd; he passed through the moving bodies with such flowing grace that he might have been composed of liquid. Alice returned to my side, her face revealing just how grim the situation was.

"She wants to fly back to Florida tonight." If she could have cried, Alice probably would have.

I wanted to know what the chances were for us to change that, and what it would take to do so. I wanted to know exactly what would happen if I were to run to Bella's side and tell her how much I had missed her; but to do so would mean transferring almost all my attention to Alice's thoughts. I could have done that, but I was too distracted by Bella's face in Mario's mind, and how she looked reassured at the mere sight of him.

It hurt, and I had not expected that. I'd accepted that Bella was more familiar with the coven in Florida now; so why did it feel like she was stamping on my heart when she treated Mario like the well-known person he was to her?

I shook my head, trying to clear it of the unwanted hurt and resentment.

"Bella, you made it after all. We're not expecting Bryant to show up tonight, are we?" Mario grinned and greeted Bella as if she had just strolled in the door.

Bella's shoulders relaxed, losing a tension that I had barely picked up before it was gone. "I hope not. Nathan called him before I made it back to the motel. He'd already left when I got there."

Mario chuckled darkly; his mind flashed back to a memory of a dark street, where a long haired lanky figure stalked ahead of him, turning back to grin sinisterly at the sight of humans in their path. The image faded and was replaced by the sight of Bella in her black dress before Mario responded. "I think Port Angeles will provide him with enough entertainment for one night." His gaze went to Emmett, who now stood between Bella and the exit; he expected her to make a run for it at as soon as the opportunity arose. "I didn't interrupt anything, did I?" he asked Bella, turning back to her with a smile. "I can see how this benefit could soon turn into a reunion for you."

He spoke about Emmett, but my thoughts were back with the memory of Bryant. I'd seen the long haired vampire in Mario's mind before; always when he spoke of the coven he'd left behind in Florida. I'd seen memories that went further, playing on until Bryant, or Mario, or one of the others were well into the process of feeding. Somehow, I'd never really considered that Bella might have to spend time with these creatures one on one. Or, maybe I had; I just hadn't let myself expand on the thought enough to truly recognize it at all.

Now that the idea was formed in my mind, I decided that I did not like it. Not one bit. Bella – if she was, in fact, still the same Bella I recalled – could draw trouble to her like no other human I'd encountered before. She had her own electromagnetic force, which cast about and sought out dangerous opportunities for her to wander into. It was preordained; something about Bella Swan's chemical makeup forced her into the worst possible situations, and then deemed that she should do anything possible to cause herself ruin.

There was always the chance that this had changed; humans were pliable, unlike any immortal. They molded themselves to fit different roles, and, over time, they could become something completely other than what they began as. It was what I had planned, was it not? I wanted her life to continue, to evolve, and to perhaps take Bella someplace where I would not be able to accompany her.

If she had changed, it would mean my hopes were answered. But those were old hopes, from a time when I was not aware of exactly what losing Bella would do to me. I'd learned now. I knew that I was a hollow shell without her; that my marble skin could just as well have been a formed statue, for all the void of humanity within me.

"I don't know." My thoughts went back to the conversation at hand when Emmett frowned and stared blatantly at Bella. "She's been here a whole ten minutes, and she hasn't blushed once. Are you sure this is the same girl?"

Mario laughed, his thoughts lit up with amusement. Bella scowled at both of them. I wondered if she was offended – it was harder than ever now, after being apart for so long, to decipher what went on in that silent mind of hers. And it was just as maddening as I remembered, trying to pry out thoughts that refused to be heard.

"I'd like to speak with you someplace more private," she practically hissed the sentence, turning the heat of her scowl on Mario alone. His thoughts drained of amusement as he felt the full force of her displeasure. He found it strange; Bella had never shown resentment towards him, not in nearly five years worth of memories.

Mario nodded and scanned the room, as if he were trying to find the right place for their conversation. His mind was already made up, though – and it was time for me to get into position. I could see myself through his eyes as I stood, blending in with the movement of the crowd.

I left my mind behind with Mario's thoughts as I ascended the stairs. Alice skipped a few steps ahead of me.

* * *

Emmett stalked behind me, cutting off my only exit. I glared back at him, letting him know just how annoying I thought he was. And he truly was, what with the fake mustache that stood out like a sore thumb above his lips. He laughed, and the mustache wiggled.

"You didn't miss me at all?" He asked, keeping close as we started up the stairs.

"Of course I did, Emmett. I missed you so much it almost killed me." I used heaps of sarcasm so that he would not suspect my words were true in any way.

"Then why aren't you happy to see me?"

Because I feel tricked? Because I'd rather shoot myself in the foot than to go through the pain of losing the Cullen's again? Because I had moved on as much as my puny emotions would allow, and I couldn't stand the thought of backtracking to a place where every word, every look, could cause me pain?

For years I'd practiced on keeping distant. I made sure that nobody got close, that they could not hurt me by leaving. Even Lorie, my closest friend, could have walked out of my life without truly affecting me.

It was different with the Cullen's. Eight years was not enough time to erase them from my heart. The terrible pain I felt for months after the fact, and the duller ache I still felt on a regular basis; these were not enough to wipe away the power they held over me. Ever since that fateful move to Forks and that first day in Biology class, I was stuck. I was as stuck as the clients that I brought to Nathan. Nothing would ever release me from my deep, unending feelings for them.

They say that time heals all wounds, but they lie.

But that didn't mean that I wanted them to know that. I wanted them to believe I had moved and that I no longer needed them in my life. I was different from the Bella they remembered in many ways; I could fake this one more. I had to be nonchalant.

"I'm plenty happy," I lied. "I'm just a little surprised."

We were walking down a surprisingly empty hallway, where the jumbled sounds of conversation were less concentrated. There were closed doors on both sides, most of which were marked with a nameplate depicting the owner of the office behind them. Between the doors were framed pictures of golf courses. They had nameplates, too.

Mario led us around one corner and then paused outside of the first door we came to.

"Just in here," he announced, reaching for the knob.

I was suddenly very nervous. Emmett was not alone, and I did not think that Alice would wait patiently while he was the only one who got to talk to me. She'd probably seen me entering this exact office with Mario the instant he decided that it would suffice for our discussion. I could feel my pulse speed up at the thought of her dragging Edward upstairs to wait for us.

Only the knowledge that it was too late kept me from reaching out to stop Mario from entering the room.

The light was on inside. I took a deep, preparing breath before following Mario over the threshold and then readied my phony smile; I was going to need it.

There they were, just as I had expected. Alice was trying not to break out into a full grin, but her lips were trembling with the effort. Edward looked calm, maybe even a little wary.

I took two steps into the room and stopped – I needed another deep breath. I needed a thousand deep breaths, and even that might not have cut it. Two sets of topaz eyes were focused on my every move, but I couldn't meet either gaze.

I wanted to appear indifferent, right? One look into those bottomless topaz eyes and I would surely lose my nerve completely.

"Hey guys." Wow, did that come from me? I smiled, trying to make it look effortless.

From the corner of my eye I could see Alice's face freeze in confusion. I suppose even _she_ hadn't been expecting so much composure from me. It made sense; I was calm enough on the outside, but my thoughts were a mess. I wanted to run back to the motel, cry, and then run back home to Florida.

Only a Cullen – or a whole room full of them – could make me feel such complex emotions. Bella from Forks was reemerging, and Bella from Florida was shaking her head in shame.

"Bella, you look amazing," Alice gushed, unable to rein in her enthusiasm any longer. She was up from the table and across the room in about half a second. She looked up at me with a nervous grin, as if she wasn't positive of how I would react.

Good – that meant she wasn't seeing me clearly. The last thing I needed was for her to be guessing my every move before I made it.

"Thanks, Alice. You look great, too." She looked exactly the same.

"It really doesn't make sense, but you look better now than you did as a teenager; like you grew into yourself or something. Not that you weren't pretty then, don't get me wrong." She led loose a trill of laughter that sounded near panicky.

I had to wonder what she could see coming, and hoped that it did not actually happen.

I could not help but notice that Edward remained seated. Mario walked across the room at a normal human pace – as if he was used to upholding his mortal pretense now.

"Edward!" Emmett stood behind his brother's chair and clasped his shoulder in a grip that looked like it could have broken any bone in my body. "You haven't said hello to Bella. Isn't she lovely?"

He crooned the last sentence, like the announcer at a Miss America pageant. I rushed forward to speak before he broke out into the full version.

"It's good to see you again, Edward."

I really couldn't tell if the tone of my voice was genuine, or if the expression on my face was a smile or a grimace. Speaking his name aloud was something I had refrained from doing as much as possible. It hurt to think about him, and to talk about him. But talking _to_ him, speaking his name to his face – that pain was far more severe than any I had dealt with in years. It was nearly as bad as the original wound.

His face was expressionless, a smooth marble surface that gave nothing away about the thoughts it concealed.

"Come on, let's all sit down." Mario took charge of the situation before it could get any more awkward.

I pulled out the chair across from Alice, who was already in her seat again. Emmett sat on the other side of Edward.

Edward remained silent, though he looked like he might have wanted to say something. I wasn't sure how I felt about that. Part of me was dying just to hear his voice – what more could it really hurt; I was already going to suffer terribly for this little meeting. But then, the pain might be lesser if I could get through the evening without really having to speak to him.

It seemed like everyone was looking at me. Four sets of topaz eyes, all honed in on me. It was enough to make anyone nervous.

"Maybe someone could explain what's going on?" I was trying not to fidget or bite my lip, or anything else that might give away just how tense I was. "I mean… this is unexpected, to say the least."

That was good; being able to begin the conversation could only illustrate just how relaxed I was.

Mario glanced around the table, checking, I guessed, to see if anyone else was willing to answer my question. I did my own sweep of the table, taking in the expressions around me without lingering on any one of them.

Alice was smiling; she looked strangely pleased. It was as though she didn't care if I was going against the grain of her visions, so long as we were all getting along. Emmett looked amused, and he kept casting quick glances over at Edward. I assumed that he had a quirky though that fit with each of his quick smirks. Edward was still void of emotion, but I thought that maybe his eyes were trying to speak with me. Perhaps he wished we were alone, so that we could talk privately.

No, I couldn't think like that. He wasn't even happy to see me.

Alice chose to be the provider of my answer. "It's simple," she trilled, still smiling. "We met Mario and learned about you living in Florida. Mario learned about how much we missed you, and so he came up with this scheme to get you to a place where we could visit with you. We almost had to wait for Nathan to start on his next project, because Mario had a hard time convincing them to go through with the merger. But it worked, and you're here!" She squealed the last part, like it was the most exciting thing in the world.

And her enthusiasm was contagious. I laughed, just a little. Enough to make the others look at me with something like awe.

"That's really sweet," I said, choosing my words carefully. "But you could have called, let me in on it. Or did you want to see just how shocked I could get?"

Mario spoke up. "That was my doing. I thought it was safer this way, for you. Nathan would not have appreciated your going off on a personal trip, not with the likes of those you were going to meet."

I thought about that. It was true; Nathan had always been territorial and possessive. When Mario left his company, that was it – all semblances of a friendship between them had been severed. But… was this concern truly relevant to the conversation at hand? Not really. One call to my apartment at a time when Mario knew I would be in and Lorie would be out; how could that have leaked to Nathan?

"Well, what am I supposed to do now? Nathan wants the company; you guys are all bought into it. Bryant is not going to hide in the motel room all week long. Nathan will want status reports from him, too." I voiced a few of my concerns, trying all the while to keep it light. If I continued my rant any longer, it may have become something like the mass of chaotic questions that flew through my thoughts. And nothing would have given me away better than that.

"You shouldn't have to behave any differently than you would if we were not here."

I jerked sharply in my chair, and then cursed silently. It was over; my charade would not hold up if I was forced to withstand him speaking. How could I possibly sit across from him and appear uncaring? How could I not turn and follow his every word with my utmost attention? Completely without my permission, my gaze sought his out.

"Oh?" Bella from Florida was locked up in the corner of my mind now, screaming her disapproval. This was going downhill fast. _Be articulate, be composed!_ Yes, I understood the screams, but could I overpower the ridiculous hold that the bronze haired Cullen had over me?

Was I going insane? There seemed to be two of me, both crammed into the overly tight confines of my mind.

Edward's eyes bored into mine. I couldn't have spoken a coherent sentence to save my life.

"Mario won't be attending every meeting. We don't want any conflicts with this clan in Florida; we only wanted the chance to see you again. However trivial that may be to you, in the face of completing the task in which you were entrusted."

Why had he decided to join the conversation? And why did I detect a hint of sarcasm, or mockery, in his voice? Was he making fun of my job?

Wait – did he include himself in the group of vampires that sought a reunion with me? Or was he using the term 'we' loosely, meaning his family in general? It made no sense for him to want to see me. _He_ left _me_. That usually meant that there was a lack of affection on the leaving side. A lack of interest, a lack of care. Yes, I knew every single word for what I had lost when Edward left. I could go on all night.

I cleared my throat and somehow managed to avert my gaze to the table top in front of me. It was covered with a pale green tablecloth, with horizontal white runners across the middle. It was only when my gaze was focused elsewhere that I could form my next one word response.

"Why?"

* * *

Hello! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, and those who have added this to their fave and alert lists! They all make me smile like an idiot and inspire me to write more. (Even though I can't seem to get out more than one chapter a week…) I've got Edwards POV of their meeting written already. If I get more reviews for this chapter than the last one, I'll post it with my next chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

Hello! Thank you to everyone who reviewed! This is Edwards POV of the last chapter after it switched to Bella's POV. It doesn't end like a chapter should (not that most of my chapters do lol) because I'm kind of just writing his POV as a guide for Bella's. I'll keep posting it, though, if you guys keep asking for it. :)

* * *

I clenched my jaw, fighting against the nervous reaction that told me to leave, to keep this from happening as I'd seen in Alice's vision. Bella was not happy to see me. She yelled, she cried, and she left. What could I do to keep Alice's vision from becoming reality? I could leave. I could leave before she had the chance to be sad because of me.

As it was, I was preparing to break my promise. But Bella hadn't upheld her side much better. Was I selfish enough to stay -- even though it would cause her pain -- just because I wanted the chance to see her with my own eyes? Was I cruel enough to force myself back into her life, when I knew that she was content without me in it?

Yes, I was. Undoubtedly I was.

"Just in here," Mario instructed, leading the way to the closed door.

Bella's breath was uneven and I could distinctly hear the racing of her heart, even through the door. Did she know that I was waiting for her? Could she feel me, as I could feel her?

Waifs of her scent, sugary sweet and floral, were already permeating the air. My throat burned with the familiar insistence that Bella's presence always ignited. Alice cast a warning glance in my direction as I shifted and leaned some of my weight into the table, using it to steady myself.

"You won't do anything stupid, I hope." She looked at me pointedly as she brought out an old vision, playing it through her mind for me to see. I scowled and tuned out the sight.

"You know I won't do that. You insult me by suggesting it."

Alice shook her head. "It's a possibility. You know it's a possibility."

Tuning out her verbal warning just as I had the visual, I stared impatiently at the door.

Mario entered first. He grinned with excessive humor, as if he could sense the turbulence that was likely to come. Without pause, he strolled in our direction.

And then Bella came in. God could have followed her into the room and I wouldn't have noticed Him.

The scent of her blood was overwhelming. Though she stalled just within the doorway, the fragrance continued with her momentum, pouring over me like a warm breeze.

I stopped breathing immediately. It was just as compelling as that first day in Biology – perhaps even more so, as though her blood were a fine wine that became more intoxicating with age. The conference table I held began to give, crumbling in the areas where my hands gripped. I swallowed twice, tasting noting but venom.

_Don't do anything stupid, _Alice silently reminded me.

Her visions probably weren't so far off, now that I thought about it. But it was not the same. I might desire her blood just as fiercely, but I would have done anything to stop myself from acting on the thirst. Bella was more than just a new girl at school now. No amount of time apart could have rendered her into a stranger to me.

Bella took a deep breath, but it did nothing to calm her racing heart. Her skin was incredibly pale, the color of a human who might be close to passing out. I probably would have expected her to do so, if she wasn't the one person who never did what I expected of her.

Sure enough, she straightened, smiled, and spoke, "Hey guys."

Alice, who had been so sure of how this would play out, began sifting through all of the visions she'd had that night, trying to find one that matched _this_. There were none, I knew that already.

Instead of trying to see where the future was heading now, Alice went for it. Who could blame her? Bella was acting calm, like all of this was normal – none of us had anticipated that.

"Bella, you look amazing!" she gushed, grinning up at her old best friend. She was nervous, that much was obvious from the way her thoughts were pleading with Bella not to run, or cry.

Bella did neither. Her smile didn't falter one bit.

"Thanks, Alice. You look great, too."

Why wouldn't she look at me? I could not take my eyes off of her if the world depended on it, and she would not spare me a single glance.

Mario sat in front of me, partially blocking my view. _Don't look so desperate, my friend. Bella will either forgive you or she won't. I don't think that looking like your puppy just died is going to help matters very much._

I had not thought that I looked sad or desperate in any way, but I smoothed out my features just the same.

Emmett, grinning like a fool, stalked over to stand behind me while Alice went on about how good Bella looked. Amazingly, Bella didn't blush once; she took every compliment Alice dished out with that determined smile.

That smile was not real, of that I was sure. Bella was not a completely new person; there was almost no chance of her preferring attention now more than she did as a teenager.

Emmett did not give me long to think about that. His hand fell on my shoulder and shook me roughly. "Edward, you haven't said hello to Bella." His voice was teasing; I hoped Bella didn't get the wrong impression from that. He continued, nearly breaking into song. "Isn't she lovely?"

Bella seemed to have the same response as me, which was to do anything to stop Emmett from carrying on and singing the whole Miss America theme song. She took another step forward and cast her gaze in my direction, though it did not seem like she was truly looking at me.

"Hello, Edward. It's good to see you again."

Was it my imagination, or did that painted on smile waver when she spoke my name? For half a second, it had resembled more of a grimace than an expression of happiness. I was going to respond, truly I was, but the words I had prepared to say had left my mind. Every logical thought deserted me when my name came out of her lips. This was no memory, for I had no memories of Bella in a dress like that. She was here, after all these years, and she was speaking to me just as politely as she might have in the past.

_Speak, you idiot!_ Emmett's laughing voice shouted into my mind, breaking the spell. He thought Bella's reaction to seeing us was genuine. Alice was less sure. I was positive that it was an act. How was I to respond, when I had no idea had how she really felt?

Mario turned in his seat to address everyone. "Come on, let's all sit down."

Alice flew back to her spot and Emmett pulled out the chair on my other side. Bella looked reluctant behind her smile as she moved to sit beside Mario.

We sat in silence for the better part of a minute. I was wondered how rude Bella thought I was for not greeting her in return. It was not as if I did not want to – on the contrary, I longed to speak with her. But I waited, for a better opportunity, and for the astonishment I felt to wear off. She did not appear upset or uncomfortable in the normal ways, but there was a certain gloom in the air about her. It was like each breath she took in was forced, just as her stillness was forced.

We were all more interested in Bella than anything else in the room. Mario's thoughts bordered on fascination – he hadn't been sure of what to expect when she realized who his new family was, but this was nothing like he would have guessed. Jessica _had_ alerted her before she got the chance to see us herself, but was a moment's notice enough for her to put on such an unsurprised, almost uncaring guise?

Would we ever get to see her true reaction? I wanted to know how she felt, no matter how much the answer might hurt me. Would she have behaved according to Alice's visions, had she not been warned? The idea plagued me, made me wonder how much of the real Bella we would be allowed to see throughout the course of the evening.

I was drug from my contemplation by the soft sound of Bella clearing her throat.

"Maybe someone could explain what's going on? I mean… this is unexpected, to say the least." She looked at Mario, as if he were the only one of us that she wanted to hear from. I wished she had used to more descriptive adjective; unexpected was a word an outside might use to describe the situation. I wanted to know how _she _felt about it. Painful, terrible, disappointing -- something that would clue me in on whatever she was really thinking.

Alice chose to answer; she smiled cheerfully as she gave a quick recount of our plan to get Bella sent up north on business. The amount of enthusiasm she displayed was authentic -- though her mind was unsure of Bella's reaction, Alice truly was beside herself with joy. She had been waiting for this reunion with nearly as much impatience as I had. It turned out that Alice's joyful tale was somehow exactly what Bella needed to hear, because a small smile lit her face and she laughed. her more throaty, human expression mixed with the musical chiming of Alice's to create an unusually pleasing harmony.

And then, just like the curtain at the end of an opera, Bella's expression gradually closed off, leaving me breathless with the need to see _more_. Why did she have to seal away her true feelings? What did she believe she had to hide from us? From _me_?

How I longed to reach out and pluck the thoughts from her mind, as I could with everyone else. How could one silent mind be so incredibly maddening?

When Bella spoke again, she seemed to choose her words meticulously. She called us 'sweet' in our efforts to see her, but asserted that we could have gone about it in a more appropriate manner. Mario then went into his reasoning, which -- while it was all entirely true and logical -- was completely made up on the spot. In truth, none of us had considered calling Bella. At least, not after Alice's first vision. The idea had been put to rest very quickly after the less than promising sequence of events she foresaw following _that _conversation.

Unfortunately, Bella did not embrace his explanation as well as he had hoped. She frowned deeply, causing the skin on her nose to crinkle up. I found her just as adorable angry as I would have if she were glowing with delight. The urge to speak to her increased tenfold at that moment. Surely there was something I could say that would put her more at ease; surely I could do that much. And so, once she'd apparently finished voicing all of the distress she felt concerning her job, I tried to do just that.

She wasn't looking at me, but I spoke anyway. "You shouldn't have to behave any differently than you would if we were not here," I told her, attempting to address all of her concerns in a single statement. I had only a small supply of air with which to speak, and then I would have to breath again.

Bella exhaled sharply and her whole body flinched, as if my words had inflicted pain. Her eyes widened, panic stricken, before she did the unexpected and turned to face me. In my chest, my lifeless heart ached for all the conflict in her tentative gaze.

"Oh?" The sound was little more than a whisper, but Bella seemed incapable of saying anything more. Something in her expression shifted when the word left her lips, and, for the briefest of moments, she looked at me like she had in the past. She looked at me as if she wanted to see me, as if I were the only one there besides herself.

I took a small breath, replenishing my store of air regardless of the ever-luring scent of Bella's blood. It burned my throat like liquid fire and I had to wait for the sensation to pass before speaking. I debated with myself -- never once letting my gaze drift from Bella's -- over how I could address her concerns in better detail.

"Mario won't be attending every meeting. We don't want any conflicts with this clan in Florida; we only wanted the chance to see you again." Bella's eyes darkened, and it was as though the Isabella Swan I knew was gone again, lost beneath her charade of indifference. "However trivial that may be to you, in the face of completing the task in which you were entrusted," I added, feeling the words strike daggers into my heart.

Bella did not look reassured. Her eyes were tortured, as if she could not longer stand being in the same space with me. It was clear that she was thinking of something other than the job she had come to perform. Very slowly, almost reluctantly, her eyes dropped from mine to the table between us.

My siblings were probably thinking at the speed of light, making their assessments of Bella's behavior. I didn't hear a single remark; my attention was fixed solely on the woman who sat motionless across from me. The others may as well not even have been there.

When Bella spoke again, her voice was pained and unsure. "Why?" she asked, so softly that, if she had been in human company, no one would have heard her.

* * *

**Bella's POV**

I spoke with the Cullen's for the better part of an hour, though our conversation seemed to last so much longer. I came close several times, but I never completely lost my cool. Mario was a nice calming element; his presence kept me from reverting back to the Forks Bella entirely.

Whenever we broached personal subjects I tried to keep the conflict of my thoughts from showing in my expression. I was sure that I had most of them fooled. Emmett seemed to be enjoying himself well enough -- most of the words out of his mouth were aimed to make me blush. Unfortunately for him, that was just a little harder to do nowadays.

You had to have a certain amount of innocence in order to be easily embarrassed.

Alice was eager to talk. She appeared content with skipping the important details and jumped right into drilling me on every aspect of my life since the move down south. I answered her questions as fully as I was willing to, and she didn't seem to notice any missing elements in my careful responses.

Edward was… distracting, to say the very least. I could not speak while looking at him, so I found myself starring at the wall behind him and Alice more than I actually looked at either one of them. But Edward's eyes never left me; I could feel his unwavering gaze, even though I would not meet it. Ever since my first question -- the desperate query of a girl left alone by those she loved more than life itself -- I'd managed to avoid losing myself in him again.

It helped that -- though I knew he understood the deeper meaning in my inquiry -- Edward only answered what it meant on the surface.

"Alice had not had a vision that involved you since the winter after we left Forks. Our whole family loved you, Bella, so why would we _not_ be interested in seeing how you've fared?"

His reply was short and concise. I'd assumed his question was rhetorical, and so I did not attempt to convey any of the pressing reasons that crossed my mind when he asked. One of them was already confirmed; whether or not it was intentional, I wasn't sure.

Edward had said 'loved.' If they only loved me in my past, what did they care about my future?

By the end of our chat, I was getting angry. Why had they arranged this whole thing? The only good that came out of the meeting was that Alice thought I had better sense in style now than I did as a teenager. I got answers to my questions, but they weren't the answers I was looking for. Probably because I wasn't asking the right questions -- but how could I, when they truly seemed happy to see me?

Well, everyone but Edward, that is. He wasn't unfriendly, just aloof -- as if his mind were somewhere more important. He personified the detachment of emotion that I was going for. This fueled the irritation that began around the half-hour mark and gradually increased thereafter.

I was being played with. That was the only way I could see it. Mario wandered across the Cullen's and reminded them of my existence, and they decided to arrange for a bit more distraction on my part.

But I wasn't going to join in their game this time.

Mario probably would have let us sit there and talk all night, regardless of his duties at the party downstairs. I could tell that Alice was enjoying herself, and Emmett seemed ready to crack corny jokes for hours to come. His remarks got more and more distasteful as time passed, until I was fairly sure that he would achieve his goal of making me blush.

In the end, it was Alice who decided me. After a short lull in the conversation, her eyes grew wide and her lips protruded into a slight pout. I knew what was coming before she spoke, and the knowledge had me whipping out my cell phone to check the time and stage my exit.

"Bella," she implored, "are you going to come by the house while you're here? Esme wanted to see you, but she didn't want for you to be overwhelmed by all of us at once… "

I pretended like I was surprised at how late it was. "Wow, we've been in here awhile." I stood up, acting rushed. "Can we talk about that later, Alice? I wanted to get back before Bryant so I don't have to explain what took me so long."

She looked disappointed, but she agreed with me. I congratulated myself for dodging one unnecessary, painful experience.

Unfortunately, I could not get out of the awkwardness of Edward offering to walk me to my car. Although I stayed calm outwardly, my internal reaction to his offer was likely audible to everyone in the room. My heart sped up, forcing blood to move like fire through my veins, bringing warmth to the surface of my skin.

Of course, Emmett couldn't just let that go. He laughed out loud and pointed at my face. "She does still turn red! Good job, Edward."

Edward acted like Emmett hadn't spoken. He walked to the door and held it open for me.

I looked to Mario, as if he could save me.

"Someone will call tomorrow and fill you in on the shareholder meeting," he said, smirking.

Well, it wasn't like I didn't deserve that. I'd only spent the last hour emphasizing how important my job was.

I waved to the others and thanked Mario in the best way that I could -- with words that were pleasant enough, but the manner in which I said them suggested that I'd rather cause physical harm than show gratitude. Then I turned and forced myself not to look at Edward as I retreated from the room. Not seeing him did nothing for my blush; in the second it took for me to brush past him, my skin felt like it was burning.

Without pausing to wait for him to catch up, I started back the way that Mario had led me in. The hallway was still empty, but it felt crowded now -- Edward's presence was more daunting than the entire accumulation of people on the first floor. The idea of being alone with him for any amount of time was overwhelming, to the point that just thinking about it was making me near hyperventilation.

An icy grip took my arm, forcing me to stop. I spun around and prepared to jerk my arm free, but he released it on his own once I'd turned to face him.

"We can go this way," he said, indicating the hall behind him. "There's a second stairway that comes out in the restaurant, which has its own exit. Unless you want to go back through the party?"

He sounded so at ease, as if this were an everyday occurrence for him. For all I knew, it could be. How well did I really know Edward Cullen? I knew only what he and his family had told me. It hurt to consider it, but Edward could have found distractions in any number of places. What made me think I was the only one?

Now that the idea was planted in my mind, it seemed only logical. I was probably one of many, a toy from which he could draw amusement until he grew bored and had to find a new one. I was no Rosalie or Alice -- there was nothing spectacular about me to keep anyone hanging around, especially not someone with as many options available to them as Edward.

If that was the case -- which it more than likely was -- I had to keep the fact that I was hurting completely under wraps. I meant nothing to them; so therefore, I had to make them believe they meant nothing to me.

So, instead of answering Edward, I just shrugged and walked past him. He caught up and paced ahead of me, silently leading the way. We made it down the stairs without any problems, but the room we came out in was dark as night and packed with tables and chairs. It was a disaster waiting to happen.

I took about four steps before walking straight into the blunt, rounded edge of a table. The initial impact wasn't bad at all, but it made me gasp and take a sideways step in an attempt to evade said table. That was where I went terribly wrong -- my heel collided with the leg of a chair and then landed sideways, twisting my ankle. My balance was hopelessly lost and I tumbled to one side, prepared to meet the floor. As much as I tried to keep it in, a small squeak of terrified anticipation slipped through my lips.

I heard Edward chuckling in the same second I felt his cold arms slide around my waist and back, catching me just before I smacked into the hardwood floor. He tugged me up and kept his grip, only slightly loosened, as I regained my equilibrium.

It didn't matter how much I wanted to stand on my own; the muscles in my legs had turned to mush the moment he touched me. For an incoherent second, I almost wrapped my arms around him in return. It was so dark in the dining room that I could only make out the outline of his figure standing right in front of me; but I didn't have to see his amber eyes to know they were staring intensely back at me. And, unlike mine, his eyes could see just fine in the darkness.

I wondered if I looked as confused and alarmed as I felt. It was that thought that made me straighten as best as I could and reach behind me, taking hold of the same table that had started the whole mess. Once I was stable, Edward released me and took a step back.

I tried to smile as if nothing had happened; as if my hormones were not threatening to kill me for taking the contact away. With some effort, I calmed myself enough to speak.

"Err… thanks." It was less vocalized than I had intended, but it worked.

"You're welcome," Edward replied, ever the gentleman. His next words sounded amused. "That's the second time you've tripped tonight."

I could feel the blood rush to my face. "You saw that?" I hoped he understood that I was talking about my first fall, because my brain wasn't functioning on a high enough level to produce a more literal question.

"Yes." At least he had the decency not to laugh again. "But I must say, you looked remarkably graceful until you stumbled."

I laughed, because Edward knew as well as I that me and graceful were polar opposites.

There was no responding laughter from Edward, which made me wonder if he had actually been serious.

"Umm… Maybe we should go now, so I can make it through this obstacle course before midnight." I tried to remind myself that I was in a hurry. My whole body loathed the thought of breaking the proximity with Edward, but my thoughts were a little more sane than my body. I knew he only held me to begin with because he was a nice guy who didn't want to see me get hurt. It was very simple and it meant nothing more than that.

I jumped when something cold pressed against my hand, and then almost jumped again when I realized what it was. Edwards hand clasped mine, his cool palm just barely brushed against mine. I think I stopped breathing.

"For your safety," he clarified in a soft voice.

I nodded stupidly and let him tug me forward towards the exit. Along the way, I wondered if he had spent the last eight years practicing the art of dazzling people. It seemed to come easier to him now than ever; I couldn't even see his face and I felt all harebrained.

The exit Edward led us to was a sliding glass door that opened to a patio filled with potted plants. There were garden lights that marked the path around to the front of the building. Edward's hand left mine as soon as we stepped outside, where the little lights enabled me to see again. Our walk continued in silence, down from the patio and along the paved pathway.

It was a long pathway. It led us out of the way, breaking off from the building and weaving through a well-kept garden. Finally, after passing almost every plant known western America, I spotted the parking lot ahead.

"You don't have to walk me all the way," I said, looking over at Edward. "I have to wait for the valet to bring the car, anyway."

He glanced at me briefly. "I'll wait with you."

I fought the urge to scowl. The only reason he was with me was to make sure I didn't hurt myself. It was the only thing he cared about when it came to me. And it wasn't even for him: he'd said 'for Charlie's sake.'

"You don't have to," I repeated, slowing my steps. I felt a little offended; I'd survived just fine without him in the past. Not that I hadn't racked up a few hospital bills -- but that was irrelevant.

Indignation hardened my voice. "I _can_ manage to walk a few yards without breaking anything, believe me. I don't need any assistance."

Edward grumbled something beside me, too low for me to catch. I stopped walking altogether.

"What was that?" I asked, feeling the heat rising up beneath my skin. This time it was not embarrassment or lack of courage that colored my cheeks, but anger. If he didn't want me to hear what he said, he shouldn't have said anything at all.

Edward stopped a few steps ahead of me, not looking too happy himself. The lights around us did little more than illumination the way, but I could vaguely make out the lines of irritation that marred his otherwise smooth features. His lips were pressed together in a tight line and turned down at the corners.

"You can manage?" he asked, his voice cold. "You can manage without help, and yet you travel with a supernatural bodyguard?"

My anger faltered as confusion washed over me. "What?"

Edward took a step forward, closing some of the distance between us and blocking my view of the parking area. It was just me and him then. I shivered.

"You're a hazard to yourself even when your intentions concern your safety."

This had nothing to do with him walking me to my car. This wasn't about here and now, it couldn't be.

"What are you talking about, Edward?" I spoke his name cautiously, and for good reason. Speaking with him one on one was the most painful thing I'd gone through since… Well, since when he left me. It felt like my heart was being clawed at each time I uttered his name. And with every new wound came the reminder that he was not mine anymore, and he never would be.

"I'm talking about your need to surround yourself with creatures who could kill you just as quickly as they could profess to be your friend." He crossed his arms and looked at me with raised eyebrows, as if daring me to disagree.

I was mimicking his position before I even realized it. "Who I choose to befriend doesn't really have anything to do with you, now does it? Besides, if my friends are so terrible, how come you let Mario join your family? Isn't he Mario Cullen now or something?" I sounded incredibly bitter, and that was exactly what I was feeling. It was an insult that they accepted him so quickly, and yet refused me after over a year of knowing me.

"Mario is one in a million, Bella. Would your other friends give up their way of life so easily? Do they feel any remorse for what they do? Do you?" He spoke his questions very matter-of-factly, in a soft voice that masked his prior rage.

I was temporarily without an answer. Yes, I felt remorse. Although no one died to sate my employer's thirst, the process still disturbed me. I disliked forcing such an awful experience on anyone, even if they would never remember what really happened. But… I was also saving a lot of innocent lives by helping Nathan with his unusual method of gaining nourishment.

"It's better than the common alternative," I bit back, not bothering to calm my voice as he had. He was crossing a line. What I did after he disappeared from my life was no concern of his. "I don't regret all the lives that have been spared because of it."

"No, of course you don't. You put your life on the line in order to salvage the lives of strangers. It's absolutely absurd."

I stared at him, amazed at the direction our conversation had taken. The fact that he thought it was okay to lecture me about my choices was enough to have me infuriated. He, whose expression had been unfeeling as he told me he didn't want me anymore; he who had rummaged through and taken my things in order to rid me of anything that could remind me of his presence.

I could do anything I wanted and Edward Cullen was the last person in the world who should tell me differently.

"You know what? I don't even want to talk to you, not if this is how it's going to be." I wasn't convincing in the slightest, but that didn't matter. It was partially true. There was a small part of me that wanted to stick around and finish our ridiculous conversation just for the sake of hearing his voice. But that piece of me was trivial compared with the overwhelming urge to strangle him where he stood.

Like that would actually accomplish anything. It sure would have make me feel better, though.

I resisted both longings and stepped silently around Edward for a second time that night, before booking it towards the parking area. I wasn't really running, but I wasn't walking slow enough to be called leisurely, either. I didn't even slow to see if I was being followed until I reached the lit up curb where the valet stood, looking bored.

I dug the little number ticket out of my purse and gave it to the boy, who just nodded and walked out between the rows of vehicles. Only then I did glance around. The area around me was empty, and, as far I could tell, so was the path I'd just come up. Edward was nowhere to be seen. Relief washed through me, but I couldn't help but notice that it was tainted with traces of disappointment.

* * *

Reviews are like food… don't let me starve!


	7. Chapter 7

My ankle started to throb the moment I got out of my car at the motel. The pain took me by surprise -- I'd been too absorbed in my thoughts on the drive back to notice any discomfort. It hurt pretty bad, but not enough to keep me from laughing at myself as I limped my way through the motel corridors. Only I could fake an injury in one hour, only to actually sustain the exact same injury in the next. It was very Bella.

I braced myself just outside the door to my suite. There was no telling what would be waiting for me on the other side. If Bryant had returned before me… Well, in the best of circumstances, I would have a lot of explaining to do. I didn't want to envision the worst of circumstances. The thought alone made me reconsider entering the room at all.

But, unfortunately, I could not stand out in the hallway all night. Not with a swollen ankle and a foot that was slowly turning purple as the strap of my shoe grew tighter. And especially not when I felt extremely close to shattering into a nervous breakdown. I cursed myself for not bringing a change of clothes, at the very least. Maybe something I might have actually worn for a trip to the hospital. That might have been helpful.

It was a huge relief when I entered into an empty suite. The door leading to Bryant's room was still standing open and my note rested untouched exactly where I'd left it. I shut both doors to my room and trashed the note before changing out of my dress as quickly as I could. I stashed it away at the back of my closet until I could get it washed and returned. Then I took a shower and pulled on my far more comfortable sweats and tee shirt.

Back in the main room, I turned off all of the lights and spun the dial on the heater up as far as it would go. I was cold, both inside and out. The evenings events had left me feeling empty, completely drained of energy. It was amazing how little physical exertion it took, when matched with extreme emotional and mental strain, to wear a person down.

I considered going straight to sleep – my mind needed the release of unconsciousness desperately – but I dutifully took my cell phone along as I climbed into bed. It would be easier to return Cassie's call now than to listen to her complain about me ignoring her later.

I highlighted Cassie's name and clicked send, then held the phone between my shoulder and ear in order to stack all the pillows behind me and create a soft backrest. Cassie answered on the second ring and I settled into the pillows, getting comfortable.

"Hey, Bella!"

I smiled; after an evening of unexpected events, a familiar, friendly voice could work wonders.

"Hey, Cass. What's going on?"

There were sounds in the background that sounded like shouting, and a squealing that could have been car tires or an electric guitar – or anything in between. There was too much combined noise for me to make any sense out of it.

"I'm with Kim at Daytona Beach. There's a really good local band playing tonight; you would have liked them."

I sighed. What a relief it would have been, to be spending the evening on the beach with my friends. Instead I was here, coping with pieces of my life that were supposed to be long ago removed.

Cassie continued, not picking up on my hesitation. "So are you enjoying your vacation? Nathan said you hurt yourself already…" She trailed off into a giggle.

"Yeah, I twisted my ankle pretty badly." At least it was true this time. One less lie in a week that would surely turn into a web of them.

"You really should be more careful," she chided, and then she laughed. "There; Nathan told me to tell you that, and now I have. I'm just not silly enough to believe it'll do any good. Nathan likes to fool himself into thinking he's going to make a difference, and who am I to tell him otherwise?"

I could barely hear what she was saying – there was too much commotion on her end. I didn't feel like struggling to have a conversation, nor did I even really feel like talking. Returning Cassie's call had been out of obligation more than anything else; she probably would have made me feel guilty for it if I hadn't.

Kim's high-pitched scream filled the line, causing me to jerk the phone back from my ear in pain. She shouted something that sounded like a proposition to a band member on stage and Cassie snickered. There were a few seconds of confusing static and then Cassie's voice again, this time speaking away from the phone.

"He can't hear you, we have to get closer!"

An image of the two of them elbowing their way through a crowded amphitheater sprung to my mind and I grinned in spite of myself. I had never understood why Cassie liked going out with me as much as she did Lorie and Kim; the other two were far more daring and always ended up getting into some sort of wild fun. And when you put the two of them together on the same outing… Well, let's just say that I opted out of those trips. Call me prudish or dull if you will, but there was only so much excitement I could take.

"And the human succubus strikes again," Cassie joked, talking to me again.

"I don't believe she's all the way human," I said, contributing to her teasing. Then I inhaled, long and deep, before exhaling audibly and sighing a bit at the end. "Ugh, I'm worn out. It's been a long day."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Bells! I'll let you go; you humans need your sleep. You should eat something, too. I know Bryant won't think to remind you, he doesn't pay attention to much other than himself."

"Thanks, Cassie. I'll talk to you soon, okay? Have fun."

"We will. Goodnight, Bells."

I sighed and slid my phone onto the night table. Then I rolled to face the wall, curling up underneath the covers. It was eerily quiet; I was used to falling asleep to the sounds of the city: traffic, sirens, and loud, hideous music from the apartment below mine. Some nights were worse than others and I would have to put on my heaviest boots and jump up and down on my living room floor before the noise called music was turned down to an acceptable level.

I never thought it would happen, but I missed the obnoxious music. It was _too_ quiet for a mind that was used to distraction at night. Without it, my thoughts dragged me several miles down the road, where Mario and the Cullen's were probably still enjoying the party.

For the first time in years, I let my imagination conjure up an image of Edward. It came without any effort at all, which made me wonder if that was because I'd just seen him, or if my mind had always been ready to recall him the moment I decided to allow it.

It was almost funny that I had feared thinking about him for so long. It was harmless now; a few devoted thoughts were nothing at all when compared to an hour spent in his company. All of that effort, all of the self-discipline I was forced to gain… It was all for nothing. Sure, it might have saved my sanity at the time; but what use was that now?

Quite unintentionally, I'd set myself up for an emotional rollercoaster.

But how was I supposed to know he would break his promise? To my knowledge, Edward had never lied to me. What reason did I have not to believe him when he promised not to interfere with my life again? It had hurt – would always hurt on some level – but I had come to accept it. After all, I'd known from the very beginning that Edward's affection for me was too good to be true. It was inevitable that he would grow bored eventually. In those first months after he'd left, I only wished that eventually had held off awhile longer.

And then, in time, I no longer allowed myself to wish at all.

Tonight had been a cocktail of my deepest wishes and my greatest fears. And boy, had it been bitter.

Mario… I didn't even know what to think about him. What were the motives that had him conspiring with near strangers to the point of interfering with my life? He knew I was satisfied with the role I played in Nathan's company. He knew that I was comfortable, that I had friends, and that I was reasonably safe. The Mario that I'd come to know in Florida wouldn't have decided to uproot me from my decent existence for no reason. He, like all of my friends, understood that I disliked speaking about my past. He'd understood that it caused me pain, though I'd never revealed to him – or anyone but Lorie – the nature of that pain.

What could he have seen, or heard, that would convince him to act as he had?

It was a mystery that would have to remain unanswered – for the time being, at least. I had no way of contacting him, and even if I had, I probably wouldn't have bothered. It was too soon after the shock; I would be as likely to scream obscenities at him as I would be to have a civil conversation.

One thing was for certain: I would see to it that Mario would regret stringing me along like a puppet. The resolution put a smile on my face and sent my thoughts in a more bearable direction. Finally, I managed to find sleep among the vicious varieties of revenge I was conjuring up.

* * *

I was woken by the phone. Not my cell phone, but the motel rooms land line. Groggy and confused, I rolled over and picked it up.

"Hello?" My voice was rough with sleep. I yawned.

Bryant's voice greeted me. "Good morning, Bella. I thought you'd like to know that your cell phone has been ringing on and off for an hour now."

That woke me up. I forced myself up on one elbow and glanced around the room. A think streak of daylight shone on the wall beside me, seeping from a gap in the hastily pulled curtains. The alarm clock, which I hadn't bothered with setting the night before, read 10:51.

"Dang it, Bryant! Why didn't you get me up earlier?" I tossed the covers back and sat up before grabbing my phone off the table.

"Nathan told me to let you rest."

I rolled my eyes and then scrolled through my missed calls, frowning when I didn't recognize a single number. There were three, and only one was from a Port Angeles area code. That was a little confusing. How many people had my phone number been passed to, and by whom? It was too bad my ring tone wasn't louder, more insistent; had it woken me, I wouldn't have had to deal with the frustration of not knowing. And I would have to stay frustrated until whoever was trying to contact me decided to try again. Returning the calls was out of the question – even from the other room, Bryant would still likely be able to hear the entire conversation, both my side and the other.

"Bella?" Bryant's voice startled me; I'd nearly forgotten I was on the phone with him.

"Give me a few minutes to get dressed, and I'll let you in." I climbed out of bed and winced – my ankle was still tender.

It wasn't broken, of that I was sure – I'd had my fair share of broken bones, which made it easy to diagnose any new injuries. It was slightly discolored and puffy where my foot met my leg… and it gave me an idea.

I gasped dramatically and whimpered in pain. "Crap, my ankle got worse overnight. It's going to take me awhile to get ready, Bryant. I can barely walk. You wouldn't go upstairs and get some ice for me, would you?"

The ice machine was on the third floor; I remembered thinking how inconvenient it was when the woman at the front desk checked us in. Now it seemed exactly the opposite.

He agreed, but not before chuckling at my expense. After our peculiar talk on the plane, and his comments the other night regarding the customers at the bar, I was beginning to think that Bryant had a very twisted sense of humor.

I waited until I heard the door to his room open and close, and then sat back down with my phone in hand. I was going to have to be quick – it wouldn't take Bryant long to retrieve my ice. Choosing one of the numbers at random, I dialed and eagerly cradled the phone to my ear. It felt good to be solving one mystery.

"Mario Greene's office, how may I help you?" The woman sounded bored, droning the words like they were all she ever said. She also sounded human, which took me by surprise, what with the name that she announced. In retrospect, it did make sense; Mario could live as normal a life here in rainy Washington as the Cullen's had.

"Yes, can I speak with Mario?" I asked, barely putting any volume into my voice. It was a good thing I hadn't tried calling while Bryant was around; I only prayed that he wasn't still within hearing distance.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Greene has stepped out of his office. Can I take a message?"

Well, I hadn't been expecting that. "Umm… no, thanks."

I closed the phone and opened it back as fast as my human hands would let me. I bit my lip nervously as the next number rang once, twice, three times… Bryant wouldn't be gone much longer.

Mario answered on the forth ring. He didn't bother with any pleasantries. "Are you alone?" he asked.

"I am," I allowed, just above a whisper. Glancing uneasily at the door to my room, I continued, "Not for long, though."

"We need to talk."

I rolled my eyes. "So talk. But make it fast."

There was a short pause Mario's end, and then, "Can you get away?"

Exasperated, I very nearly growled. "I don't know. Maybe, maybe not." I looked down at my ankle pensively. If I ran the whole foot under hot water for a minute or two, it would look and feel feverish enough to validate another trip to the doctor. But would Bryant insist on driving me? I didn't know.

"Try, and call me if you're successful. In the meantime, I need you to be wary of Bryant."

What did _that _mean?

Mario continued quickly, as if he could sense my bewilderment. "It's possible – not probable, just possible – that he's on to us. He turned up last night and spoke with Mr. Hayes and the other company executives. I don't believe he noticed me; I left shortly after he arrived. However, we think that he may have gotten a glimpse of Alice."

I gripped the phone just a bit tighter than necessary. The edges dug into the skin of my palm, but I hardly noticed.

This was not good at all. Bryant was not stupid. He'd lived long enough to be able to distinguish coincidence from something that was more. But he wouldn't automatically assume that I had anything to do with a strange vampire being in town. Nor should he be alerted to Mario's involvement. All the same, I was glad for the warning.

I thanked Mario and promised to call him when I got the chance. Then I hobbled to the dresser and threw on some clothes. There was a knock on the door just as I was pulling a shirt over my head. Tucking my phone into the back pocket of my jeans, I went to open it.

Bryant stood on the other side with a little plastic bucket filled to the brim with ice cubes. He greeted me with a slight nod and a curious expression.

"Thanks," I took the bucket from him.

He just grinned widely, kind of like he was attempting not laugh. I frowned and glanced down – making sure I was fully dressed. My outfit may have been a bit disheveled, and it was entirely possible that it did not match, but it was clearly there.

I met Bryant's amused eyes with a determined glare. "What?" I demanded.

I felt something cold ruffle through my hair before I'd even realized that his hand had moved. I jumped in surprise and his grin broadened.

His hand dropped after another second. I just barely stifled my sigh of relief. "Did you make it stand up like that on purpose?" he asked, laughter resonating in his voice.

Oh – this was about my hair. I probably should have paused to look in a mirror before opening the door; whenever I had a restless night, I usually woke with strands sticking out in all different directions. It was a result of tossing and turning for hours on end.

Heat pool into my cheeks. "Um, no." Self-conscious now, I opened my mouth just wide enough to speak. It wouldn't help for him to pick up on my morning breath next.

Rather than sticking around to have the rest of my human flaws spotlighted, I turned and shuffled towards the bathroom. Bryant would get the picture and let himself in while I made myself presentable. Ten minutes later, with fresh breath and a much improved appearance, I grabbed my ice bucket off the bathroom counter and reentered the main room. Bryant was sitting casually on the couch; his contact-covered eyes followed my ever clumsy move. I sat on the bed and used a pillow to elevate my swollen ankle. Conveniently enough, the bucket of ice was lined with a thin plastic bag, which I could life out and situate on my leg. The sudden coldness on my heated skin made me shudder in discomfort.

"So, who was calling you this morning?" His voice was indifferent, like he was just making conversation to break the silence.

I went with the first lie that popped into my mind. "My mother." It seemed like it should have been true – why hadn't she called me? Surely she would be as insistent today about me talking to Charlie as she was yesterday. I wondered if they'd already spoken, and they were both too frustrated with me to bother getting in touch.

Bryant nodded like I had confirmed his assumption. "You were supposed to call your father yesterday," he said. "Did you?"

I shook my head – there was no point in lying about that one. I was going to have to call Charlie, and Bryant would more than likely be around to hear the conversation play out.

"Why not?"

When had he gotten so talkative? In all the time I'd known him, he'd never shown an interest in speaking to me, let alone drilling me with questions. Until this trip, that is.

I busied myself with rearranging the ice on my leg while I considered how much of the truth I should reveal. "If I call him, he'll want me to visit. And I'd rather not. I'm not really up for a long distance drive, if you haven't noticed." I lifted the bag off my skin and gestured towards the baseball that was my swollen ankle. It was as much for my sake as it was for the sake of my point – the ice was absolutely burning the skin off of my foot. "Besides, we have stuff to take care of here. We came for a reason, not to go tramping about Washington like we have nothing better to do."

Bryant was silent for what felt like several minutes. I absentmindedly fidgeted with the ice, letting it rest on my leg for a few seconds before lifting it again. The subject seemed to be set aside for the time being, and I decided to turn the conversation away from me.

"What did you do last night, anyway? You could have gone to the party without me and scored us some brownie points."

"I stopped by," he said offhandedly. "It was rather dulling down by the time I arrived. There was one man, a Mr. Roberts, who requested that I wish you a speedy recovery. He seemed sincerely concerned about your welfare." There was a smirk in his voice when he said that last sentence.

I looked up at him, slightly worried. "You were nice to them, right?"

He laughed. "I was civil, yes. I believe Nathan goes about this business in the wrong way, but I have no desire to challenge him."

I was about to ask what else he and the CEOs spoke about, but my cell phone chose that moment to light up and start playing the familiar cadence of my ring tone. Glancing down at it, I tried not to let any apprehension show on my face. Inside my mind, I was absolutely freaking out at the possibility of Mario – or any of the Cullen's – calling while Bryant was around. The unfamiliar number on the LCD screen had a Port Angeles area code.

Hesitantly, but attempting not to appear so, I answered it.

I had nothing to worry about, as it turned out. It was Mr. Hayes, calling to talk about the meeting he'd attended earlier that morning. When he said he'd tried calling me once already, I played it off and said I hadn't noticed the number in my phone. I could feel Bryant watching me, but I kept my eyes glued to the ice bag on my leg.

Mr. Hayes assured me that his stockholders were very interested at the possible change in ownership. He wanted to have a more formal meeting with me, where we could sit down and discuss details, primarily the sort of numbers Nathan had in mind. For this meeting, he said, the company president would be in attendance.

I agreed with enthusiasm – this was the sort of conference that would usually conclude Nathan's deals. We'd talk money for who knows how long, and then the president would deliberate with his employees in another room, leaving me to myself. And then we'd reach the point where all the paperwork came into play.

It was an incredibly dull, incredibly drawn-out process.

As Mr. Hayes chattered on about his shareholders reactions, I lifted the ice off my stinging ankle once more. The skin underneath was beet red and still puffed to nearly twice its normal size. I scowled at it – how was I supposed to walk into their meeting without looking ridiculous? It didn't hurt so badly anymore, but it was weak to the point that I'd probably be better off hopping on one foot than hobbling on both.

At that point, I realized that my injury could save me again, and not by my previously considered trip to the doctor.

I had to suppress a pleased smile while I took note of the time and place of the meeting. We were to meet at five o'clock that evening in their company conference room. The only factor not helping my cause was that their building was only a mile from where we were staying. My ankle excuse would still hold firm – I hoped – but it meant that Bryant could be back at the motel within minutes of the meetings conclusion. This bothered me, but not enough to alter the plan I'd already established.

The conversation drew to a close, and I assured Mr. Hayed that either myself or my associate would be present at conference. His hesitation was clear, as he stuttered a bit before accepting my statement. From there, I hurried along with the necessary pleasantries – 'have a good day' and all that nonsense – and got off the phone.

Bryant didn't wait two seconds to start in on me. "You can't be serious," he said, his voice disbelieving.

I glanced at him with the most innocent expression I could manage without going over the top. "What?" I asked, ignoring his skeptical glare. "Are you going to get me some crutches so I can get around without looking like an idiot? I'm not going to a meeting when I can't even walk right."

Bryant shook his head incredulously. "Bella, I've seen you walking around with a cast on your leg. Since when do you let an injury slow you down?"

Oh, yeah. I'd forgotten about that. Just before I met Nathan – the first nonhuman conquest Lorie had ever brought home with her – I'd broken a small bone in one of my calves. It was the result of a dance lesson with my roommate, which had ended with lots of blood and a trip to the ER. Needless to say, Lorie had never offered to teach me any more dance moves.

But it was well on its way to healing when I met Nathan, and I pointed that out diligently.

"Plus this is my ankle, not my leg. The part I had a cast on didn't have to bend every time I took a step." I made the point like it was the most logical thing in the world. He was a vampire, after all; what could he really know about the extent of my pain?

"You're going to stay here while I go by myself?" Bryant still didn't look convinced. He leaned forward, as if moving to get up, and I didn't even blink when he suddenly appeared by my side. "It doesn't look that bad," he muttered, extending one pale hand to touch my inflamed skin.

"It still hurts," I grumbled back, flinching when he his fingers touched me, even though the area was too numb to feel it.

He sighed and stood up straight. "Aside from that first meeting, you're proving to be quite useless, do you know that?" There wasn't even the hint of a joke in his voice.

I stared up at him, shocked. "Thanks so much, Bryant. I'm sorry we all can't be eternally healthy and fit. Human fragility is a bitch."

That got a chuckle out of him. "You're probably better off staying here anyway," he said, smirking down at me. "There'll be a lot of sharp objects out when they sign the paperwork. Ink pens and letter openers, which are just as hazardous as machine guns to you, I'm sure."

"Hah hah," I laughed dryly. "Let's just hope no one there is as clumsy as you think I am." I swallowed hard as I imagined someone cutting themselves and Bryant leaping across the table, drawn to the scent of their running blood. "But you're not thirsty yet," I added, more to comfort myself than anything else.

"Not at all," he agreed, his grin stretching wider. "Last night was very satisfying."

I felt my eyes grow wide as I registered his comment. Before I could even decide how to respond, though, he was standing at the door that led to his suite. He opened the door and paused to sneer back at me.

"Nathan said you had to eat often. Can you manage to call for something, or will I have to do that for you, too?"

* * *

**I really suck at chapter endings, lol, sorry. Thanks to everyone who made it this far! Hopefully I'm not boring you to death. You could review and let me know... Edward will be in the next chapter, I promise. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

The afternoon passed pretty uneventfully. I ordered pizza around noon and settled in for a CSI marathon on the Spike channel. Bryant spent some time on the phone in his room, probably talking to Sophia or Nathan. I thought I should probably call Nathan myself, considering he had sent _me_ to take care of his deal, and I was pawning all of the work off on Bryant.

But I didn't call, and I told myself not to feel bad about it. Nathan had told everyone that I used to live in Washington, when I'd managed to keep that information well under wraps for as long as he'd known me. And he'd smiled as he was doing it. For that reason, I refused to feel bad.

Another reason, the one that made blowing the meeting off a hundred times easier, was the fact that he had ulterior motives for sending me to Washington in the first place. And I had every idea of what those other motives were.

Nathan had a lot of questions for me when I'd first admitted I knew what he was. We'd sat at the kitchen table in my apartment, while Lorie slept in the bedroom, and had a talk that lasted from dawn until late in the morning. We probably would have spoken longer, but the storm allowing him to stay for so long was forecasted to clear out early that afternoon. I'd learned a lot about his lifestyle that morning, and he'd learned as much about my past as he could. Since then, he'd only been known to shown such strong curiosity when we were alone; but it was often enough to make his interest clear.

"I've never met a human who knew what I was before I… showed them," he'd said that first morning. "I'm inclined to question how you could possibly be certain enough to confront me like this."

I'd fascinated him, and it didn't disturb me a bit. It wasn't the first time a vampire had reacted in awe to the way my mind worked. I tried to dodge his question altogether by shrugging it off, but Nathan would have none of that. Our conversation had reached a standstill and would not budge until I gave him some information.

"You're impossibly beautiful, for one thing." I'd said, realizing he was set on knowing how I recognized him for what he was. "And you didn't fall asleep after your little romp with Lorie." That part came out with unintentional bitterness. Who ever knew a vampire's self-control would allow as intense a make out session as I'd had the misfortune of bearing witness to? It would have been nice to know such a thing was feasible years ago… at a time when it might have been useful to me.

"Humans can be beautiful," Nathan shot down my flimsy reasons with a wave of his pale hand. "Humans have insomnia. And that is not the sort of answer I am looking for, anyway. What I mean to ask is, quite frankly, how do you know my existence to be reality? Have you known my kind before?"

I'd messed around with my coffee cup for a moment then, lifting the mug and blowing on the warm liquid before taking a long sip. It gave me time to consider how much I should reveal, as I've had to do more times than I can count since that day. Finally, I sat my cup down and took a deep breath, preparing to talk about something I hadn't mentioned once in over three years time.

"I did when I was younger. For about a year, and then… Well, things change." I'd shrugged it off like my past meant absolutely nothing, when really I just couldn't make myself say any more. I'd perfected the art of appearing indifferent during my stay with Renee. It wasn't much harder with Nathan that day than it was with my mother—he was too shocked to try dazzling the answers out of me. Since then, I'd been tricked out of little details here and there. But nothing more significant than where I'd lived before moving to Florida.

If Nathan were doing business in any state other than Washington, he would have sent Kim. He'd always preferred sending her or Mario when leaving town was involved—and therein rested my proof of his second intention.

He wanted me to show him exactly how I was a human living with the knowledge of vampires. He'd seen this as an opportunity to learn. I could see his logic—perhaps what I would not tell, I would show. Bryant was his spy, and I was just a pawn sent to satisfy his fervent curiosity. Why should I feel bad for doing exactly what Nathan wanted me to do, just because I was going about it in a more clever way than he'd anticipated?

By the time four thirty rolled around and I could hear Bryant getting ready to leave in the next room, I was convinced that I was doing the right thing. I was satisfying _my_ curiosity, not Nathan's. I would get my answers, and he would get his company.

Thinking about those answers now had me shivering in anticipation. I wanted to speak with Mario—I had a lot of questions for him. But, more than that, I had a deep craving to actually sit down and talk to Edward. I feared his responses more than I feared Nathan learning about Mario's presence in Port Angeles—but I needed them more than I did my next breath. I wanted to speak with him where no one else could hear us; I wanted to let Florida Bella slip away and just… talk to him like I did when I was seventeen.

He didn't love me anymore, and I'd accepted that as much as I felt was possible. But now I had a chance to find out why. It would likely break my heart all over again, but I wanted it just the same. I felt a strange sense of comfort in knowing that I'd already been dealt the worst possible blow—I knew I could survive anything Edward said, because if he was speaking to me, it meant he was there.

I had trouble keeping a straight face when Bryant came in to say he was leaving. If he hadn't been there, I would have been bouncing on the bed for all the nervous energy that was pouring through me.

"Are you sure you want to miss all the excitement?" he asked, glancing doubtfully between me and the TV, where Grissom was scoping out a crime scene.

"I'm sure I can live without watching a bunch of old men sign papers for an hour, thank you." I smiled weakly from my spot, cushioned by a mountain of stacked pillows. Bryant had donated all four from his room to go with mine, seeing as he had no need of them. He'd also gone to get me ice at regular intervals throughout the day. I was taking my role of invalid very seriously; I'd only gotten out of bed twice, and both times were for unavoidable trips to the bathroom. I'd gone so far as ordering my pizza to be delivered to Bryant's room, so he had no choice but to get it and bring it to me.

All my acting seemed to have paid off. Either that, or Nathan had instructed him to leave me alone, because Bryant didn't try to goad me into going with him. He even agreed to stop and get me some Chinese food on his way back in. It was almost too good to be true.

Suffering from impatience and dread equally, I forced myself to wait ten long minutes after Bryant's departure before doing anything. My time was limited to be sure, but I was relying on the fact that the company president would be attending the night's meeting. Their exchange would be lengthy and thorough; even without the addition of signing contracts, I was counting on having over an hour of free time.

I refused to think about what would happen if I somehow got caught. If the meeting was canceled, or if Bryant had some reason to return to the motel early—those were just the risks I was taking. The difficult part had been making the decision to contact Mario and willingly confront my past. Now that it was done, all I had to do was follow through.

* * *

My short conversation with Mario ended with me trudging through the rain, soaking wet and walking nowhere in particular, just west. Of course it couldn't be as simple as just catching a ride outside of the motel. And Mario couldn't even be the one to pick me up. These were vampires I was dealing with—we had to be conscious of things such as familiar or unfamiliar scents.

If we were going to take risks, Mario thought we should try and go about it in the least risky way possible. And I hadn't realized just how much of a gamble we were taking. According to Mario, there was very little chance of Bryant not noticing that I'd gone out, even if I returned before him. My scent would linger in the air, marking out my trail to anyone with senses acute enough to detect it. It might be overlooked, but only if Bryant wasn't paying any attention. Or if he stayed away long enough for it to fade.

If Mario came to pick me up, Bryant would know exactly who I was with when my scent mixed with his and then disappeared down the highway. With Emmett acting as transporter, we were replacing Bryant's possible fury with confusion. If he even bothered to see where I'd walked to, that was.

I was lost in thought—wondering how any smell could linger in air that was continuously pummeled by big fat raindrops—when a car slowed down and shifted to the outer lane. It reminded me of Nathan's car, in that it was of foreign make, incredibly glossy, and probably as expensive as a small family home.

The tinted window lowered and Emmett grinned up at me. "Hop in, Bella," he said, pressing a button to unlock the passenger side door. Then he snickered and continued, "not literally, though. If you hop and get hurt, I'll have folks upset with me."

I just smirked and rounded the vehicle. He was still sporting the fake mustache from last night. It was amusing and eerie at the same time, and I couldn't keep from commenting on it as I slid into the seat next to him.

"What's up with that thing on your face?" I had to be blunt—I was soaking wet and half-frozen. Small talk and worn-out cracks just weren't going to cut it.

Emmett stepped on the gas, quickly accelerating to match and then exceed the speed of traffic. His grin faltered a little with my question. "It's a mustache. How could you not know that?"

Despite my state of saturation, I laughed. "I know what it is, Emmett. But why are you wearing it?"

His eyebrows dipped together and he glanced at the road; needing a moment to arrange his answer, I assumed. But as the seconds ticked by and his near-grimace lingered, I decided to cut him some slack.

"I just thought it looked a little fake, but if you like it, who am I to argue?"

I thought my rhetorical question would shift his attention to something else, but I was wrong. Emmett's expression smoothed right back into his previous lively smile.

"It would look fake to you—you know it's not supposed to be there. But for everyone else, it's the perfect disguise. Like I'm me, but older."

Well, at least his oddities were logically based. I smirked and looked out the window, watching the landscape shift from that of a city to the more peaceful countryside. Until then, I hadn't realized we were leaving Port Angeles.

"Where are we going?" I asked, tensing when I recognized the road as 101—the way to Forks. Thanks to Emmett's lead foot, we were already nearing the Olympic National Park.

"Everyone's staying at the old Forks house, we just thought it would be easiest to talk there."

I nodded like this didn't bother me at all. "Bryant wouldn't be able to track me there, if he tried? It won't lead him straight to Mario?"

Emmett shook his head. "Nah, Mario doesn't think your friend's a good enough tracker to follow our trail now that you're not on foot. He could probably follow us to Forks—because, you know, that's where the road leads—but I've been everywhere in that little town, so my scent won't be easy to track."

We were mostly silent for the rest of the drive, which took all of twenty minutes. When we passed through Forks, I couldn't help but notice three shiny cruisers parked in front of the sheriff's station. I thought I remembered Charlie saying something about getting finances for new cars, though I couldn't recall exactly when that talk had taken place. Sometimes full months would span between my phone calls to Washington… and I didn't always pay the best attention to what Charlie spoke about. It bothered me that I had to think hard in order to dredge up any of the specifics from even our last conversation.

I felt like a terrible daughter… But those worries faded as soon as we pulled onto the Cullen's long driveway. I had plenty to worry about just ahead of me, and there was no room for more.

Emmett glanced over at me, seeming to notice a shift in my demeanor. "She promised to be polite," he said softly, sincerely.

I was puzzled for a second—then I caught on and nearly laughed. He thought Rosalie was the cause of my anxiety, when I hadn't even given her a single thought. No, I was used to dealing with haughty vampires who felt like I was just a waste of time and space. I just feared that this meeting was going to have adverse repercussions later, when I went home to Florida. Nothing had ever made me want to leave the Cullen's before—what did I think was going to stop me from having the same reaction now? Years to get over Edward? No amount of time could let me do that.

The house looked the same as it did in my memory. There was no overgrowth of vines or bushes; the yard was pristine, as though it had been looked after weekly by a service crew. We parked right out front instead of driving to the garage—probably because my visit would be a short one.

"What happened to your jeep, anyways?" I asked as we got out, using the image of Emmett's massive frame tucked into a tiny sports car to calm my nerves.

He nodded towards the garage as he came around to my side. "I traded it in for a newer model last year. This is Edward's. It was faster."

Huh, so apparently Edward had traded for a newer model, too. I took that information in silence and hurried to catch up with Emmett, who was waiting for me on the porch. He held the door open and waved me inside, grinning encouragingly. I took a deep breath, fastened my resolve, and ducked past him.

The whole family plus one was gathered in the living room. I smiled at everyone when I walked in, trying to show them all how comfortable I was.

"Would it have killed you to carry an umbrella on your walk?" Mario barked a laugh and shook his head, apparently amused by my drenched ensemble.

Alice, who was sitting between Jasper and Mario on the couch, was suddenly on her feet. "I'll find you something to wear, Bella."

"No, Alice," I spoke quickly to stop her from disappearing before I could object. "I'm fine. I've got to wash these when I get back anyway; there's no point in drying them now." It was warm in the house at any rate, and that was good enough for me.

Esme approached with a bundle of grey wool over one arm. She looked overjoyed, but cautious. A smile was threatening to break out on her face. "Here you go, dear." The bundle unfolded into a long button down jacket. I took it with a grateful smile. "It's so good to see you. How have you been?" she asked, once I'd put it on.

"Good," I answered, without quite meeting her eyes. Then I continued, as I'd learned to do in awkward situations, and turned the attention away from myself. "It's so strange to be back here. Everything looks exactly the same as it did when you guys left."

And it did. The furniture hadn't been rearranged; the pictures and trinkets that adorned the tabletops and mantel space were the same ones I'd all but memorized in my time there. It was as if they had never left. It was as if _I_ had never left.

"Well, now," Mario stood and took charge of the situation, as I'd seen him do so many times before. But never had the situation been anything quite like this. "We have a lot to discuss, and we should keep it as brief as we can."

At that, most of the Cullen's decided it was time to take leave to the rest of the house. Emmett gave me a light tap on one shoulder before he and Rosalie left the room. Carlisle greeted me warmly and took Esme's hand, and together they proceeded down the hall towards his study. I watched their departure and then turned to face those who remained in the room.

Jasper and Alice sat together on one couch, in front of which Mario was standing. Edward was across from them on the other couch. His expression was grave, but it smoothed out the instant our eyes met. His eyes went from cold hard gemstone to molten gold, and I got sucked in. The warmth that radiated through those golden orbs seemed impossibly tender.

"Come and sit down," Mario suggested, interrupting my stupor. I dropped my head and suddenly yearned for my long hair, which would have covered my blush.

I was surprised that Jasper stayed seated even after I'd taken my place on the couch across from him. My smile for him was the most genuine I'd given yet—I wanted him to know that I didn't harbor any resentment for the past. I had never blamed him for what happened on my eighteenth birthday; if anyone was at fault, it was myself. I should have been more careful—but things had been so wonderful in the weeks leading up to that night, I had all but thrown caution to the wind.

Jasper returned my smile with a surge of soothing emotions. While I knew the feelings were not my own, I embraced them. After all, calm and collected was what I was trying to achieve; and if I was feeling what he conveyed on me, he couldn't read my unease.

Mario sat back down, drawing my attention. I watched as he glanced to Edward and a look of annoyance passed over his face. Confused, I followed his gaze to see Edward glaring back, determination in his expression. The silent exchange lasted only a few seconds, but it left me feeling like I had missed something crucial.

"We need to talk about Nathan, Bella." Mario began, enticing my gaze back to his humorless eyes. The words made it sound like he wanted to this talk, but there was reluctance in the way that he said them. That caught my interest. It was rare for him to hesitate over anything.

"What about him?" This wasn't the way I'd imagined today's get-together playing out, but I'd go with it. Thanks to Jasper, I was all warm and fuzzy inside. I'd forgotten how that felt, and I was all for prolonging the sensation.

"Don't you think it's odd he sent you out here when Kim would have been the better choice?" He looked at me imploringly, as if trying to get me to say what he wanted to say, so that he wouldn't have to.

I didn't feel any offense from his statement—either because of Jasper's power or because it was true. Kim was incredibly self-sufficient, and she was somehow able to blend in no matter where she went.

"He knew I lived in Washington," I admitted, shrugging my shoulders. "He thought I'd run off and lead Bryant to the… people I used to know here." Saying the word 'vampire' in such company felt a little out of bounds. I didn't think they'd mind it, but still.

Mario nodded. "And? Why would he be so interested in your past? You're just a human, like Lorie. He doesn't care about where Lorie came from, does he?"

Again, I shrugged; these were all points I'd already considered. But I wasn't going to get out of using the 'v' word this time. "Lorie didn't know vampires existed until we let her in on it. Me, on the other hand, I've got this whole mysterious background that he can't help but wonder about. You know how insanely curious Nathan is; he wants to know everything that evades him."

"You think he's just wondering?"

I was getting more confused by the second. This whole explanation by question thing seemed pointless—I didn't understand why he couldn't just come out with it. "What else would he be doing?"

"Bella, you're so observant when it comes to everything else! Why can't you manage to see what's been right in front of you?" Mario sounded exasperated. His tone was one he might have used for telling Cassie to go and be quiet for awhile. "Just think for a moment, will you? Think of how Lorie feels about Nathan, and of how Nathan treats her. Think about how he regards Kim, the only human he's ever called family. And then think about how he acts towards you."

I glanced down at my hands as he finished his little speech—doing exactly what he asked me to do. The truth was that I _had_ thought about those things before, more than once, and I'd never come up with a rational interpretation.

Lorie was in love with Nathan—had been since that first night she brought him home. She would do absolutely anything he asked of her, and she had. I'd thought it was wrong when Nathan started drinking from her. But he didn't do it very often, and Lorie swore she didn't mind. And as long as she had no problems with it, I didn't see where it was my place to interject.

But then, when Nathan started asking Lorie to provide for the others in the same way, I was appalled. He saw it as convenient; I saw it as a form of physical abuse. But, again, Lorie would not complain. She didn't even want me to talk to him about it—and I'd offered more times than I could count. I might have even begged.

Kim had been doing the same thing for years, before Lorie and I came around. But she had rules: only when there was no other option—meaning Sophia was out of reach and it was either share her blood or watch an innocent human die—and she couldn't be bitten. She would cut herself with whatever was available before she'd let someone else pierce her flesh.

Kim's rules made what she did seem more justified. It still bothered me; but I knew Kim had every right to offer what was hers to whomever she chose. That was the thing—she offered. No one would have the gall to ask her to degrade herself for _convenience_.

Just as no one had ever asked me.

Or, if they did ask, the request never made its way to my ears. And I liked it that way. I just didn't understand it.

I'd reached the same mental roadblock as I had time and time before. Mario was insinuating that there was more behind Nathan's discrepancy, and I didn't doubt that; but I couldn't for the life of me have told him what it was.

I took a deep breath and met Mario's expectant gaze with an apologetic smile. He was going to have to be the provider of answers here; Jasper's soothing presence was the only thing standing between me and raging confusion.

A pale hand passed over Mario's face, in a movement that would have been too fast for me to catch, had he not been truly disgruntled. The sight disturbed me—I'd only seen it on the few occasions where he was too upset for words. I didn't remember him using the nervous gesture in any of our countless conversations. He'd never had trouble communicating with me.

I sat up a little straighter and glanced around at the others; my nervousness was suddenly potent enough to be felt in spite of Jasper's power. Warm and fuzzy were forgotten under the simple urge to understand, and the even more simple fear of understanding. This was not going to be good news—Mario's body language had all but spelled that out for me. Beside him, Alice wore an intricate expression that seemed to be joyful, depressed, and impatient all at once. Jasper looked uncomfortable, which made me wonder if my emotions were weighing on him.

But I couldn't focus on that, because my gaze traveled over to Edward next.

Like Alice's, his expression was complex. But, just like earlier, the negative aspects seemed to melt away as soon as our eyes met. And then the only emotion I could pick out from his pale features was concern.

I wondered why he bothered feeling concern for me; but unfortunately, it wasn't the right time for another long internal deliberation. And it was no use staring at him like a love-struck teenager—not if I wanted him to talk to me later.

"Bella…" Mario seemed to have ordered his thoughts.

Now I was the one looking at him expectantly. "Just get on with it already. We haven't got all day. What is all this about?"

Mario's eyes were dark. "Bella, surely you can see where I'm coming from. Why do you think you haven't been asked to provide in the same way?"

My mind flashed blank. "Umm…"

"Do you think Bryant has gone this long without requesting permission to taste you? Do you think I went without asking?"

I responded to both of his accusing questions by blinking in surprise. A familiar low snarl rose up from the far side of the couch, drawing everyone's gaze. No one else seemed as bewildered by the sound as I was, though. Mario looked annoyed, but I thought that he should look worried, because Edward's glare was murderous. His growl cut off quickly, but I couldn't help noticing that even when Mario started talking again, Edward did not gaze away from the other vampire, nor did his expression lighten.

"What I mean to say is this: Nathan has special interest in regards to you, Bella." I nodded, still with him so far. Sophia had said something very similar just before I'd left for Washington. "And he seeks to know your past—but why? Would you believe that Nathan thinks you are a slave to your old life, and that to have your full interest would mean severing all ties to what you used to know?"

Wow. I'd known he was probably going to lose me somewhere, but I hadn't expected it so early on. "A slave to my old life?" I repeated the words as if my voice could suddenly cause them to make sense.

Mario nodded once. "What do you think all of our assumptions were about that scar on your hand? And the fact that you came to us with every idea of what we were, and a history you refused to speak about? Nathan entertained a rather detailed theory, and eventually, it led him to devise a plan. Bella, he doesn't want to learn about the Cullen's just to satisfy his curiosity, but to finally release you from the burden of your past. You've been very wise to stay away from your father. He would have been the easiest place for Nathan to start."

"Wait, let me get this straight." I felt the need to make sure we were all on the same page. The tension in the room was becoming unbearable; and I appeared to be the only one who had trouble believing what Mario was saying. "Nathan thinks that I can't get over my past, and so he wants to eliminate it?" Four very serious nods and one sigh of relief; they acted like I'd finally caught on. "But _why _would he want to do that?"

"It's really quite simple. Nathan wanted the two of you to have the opportunity of starting over fresh once he's changed you."

* * *

I wish I could be like Edward and know what you all are thinking. But, alas, I cannot. If you hit the review button, though, you can clue me in… I'd appreciate it tons and I'm going to try and start replying to more reviews.


	9. Chapter 9

I started giggling. I couldn't help it. The first laugh was more an expression of shock than amusement, but the bout that followed was pure hilarity. It took me few seconds to realize that no one was laughing with me.

"He wasn't joking, Bella. I can't see it happening—but that kind of makes sense, when you think about it. I have seen Nathan coming here, though. And he doesn't come alone."

Alice's words effectively sobered me. Nathan's plans would have to be pretty definite in order for Alice to see him coming to Forks, when she'd never met him. But still, the idea of Nathan deciding to change me was absurd. He barely even spoke to me unless he got in one of his quirky moods and felt like he wanted to talk. And he usually took those out on Lorie, if her detailed recounts of their conversations were anything to go by.

I shook my head, disbelieving. "He has no reason to come out here. And he has no special plans for me, either. If he were going to change anybody, it would be Lorie."

"Let me tell you something, Bella. You think you know how Nathan's mind works, but he hasn't let you so much as scratch the surface. It's a misconception if you think he keeps Lorie close because he has feelings for her. She's nothing more than an object to him." Mario kept his voice even. He knew getting upset or frustrated would only make our situation more uncomfortable than it already was.

"That's impossible," I disagreed. "Why would he spend so much time with her, if that were true?"

"Perhaps he is securing his collateral. Lorie means something to _you_, Bella. Aside from your mother, she's the only person you regularly associate with."

But that didn't make sense. "The only reason I know Nathan is because of Lorie. He met her first. So what you are implying is out of the question."

"We don't know what Nathan was thinking the night he met you and Lorie. But I do know who he was thinking about when he returned, and who ruled his thoughts everyday thereafter. You cannot imagine the position you put Nathan in when you refused, time and time again, to give him the information he sought. It infuriated him. He waited years for you to trust him. And when you never did, he came to me with a proposition."

I took the bait. "What sort of proposition?"

Mario lifted his arms, gesturing at everything around him. "This one. He wanted me to trail you around Washington and find out what I could. His plan was exceptionally simple. I was to take note of anyone you seemed friendly with—so they could be dealt with later, after your return to Florida. I'm sure that Bryant has the same instructions, only he wouldn't know why he's doing it. Nathan didn't want anyone else to know the full extent of his plans."

"The full extent being to murder my so-called friends in Washington, and then change me?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Edward flinch. Mario nodded, urging me on.

"And then what? Let me loose to depopulate southern Florida and expose his business for what it really is? Why would he _do_ that?" I looked at Mario pointedly.

"You're not thinking, Bella. Listen to me now—you don't have long to process all of this, and I know it's come as a bit of a shock." I rolled my eyes at his understatement. "Nathan is not looking at the short term disadvantage of your newborn status, but at the long term. He's looking for a mate. A few years of cleaning up your messes won't dissuade him. And he does not intend on waiting for your agreement in the matter, either. I wouldn't have left if it weren't for that detail. It was always obvious to me that something was holding you back, and I could not argue with Nathan over whether or not it was due to your past. You made that much apparent. I saw no harm in learning about what you wouldn't tell us, but when Nathan told me the rest… There was just no way I could stay and help him."

I exhaled slowly, taking it all in. Mario had left us so unexpectedly—or so I'd thought. Sophia and Bryant had been outraged, but their anger was touched by astonishment. Cassie was absolutely dumbfounded, beyond words in her regret over the loss of one she considered to be family. Nathan was the worst of them all—he'd trashed an entire downstairs office, too blind in his fury to realize the things he destroyed were his own. It was a week before he would speak to any of us, save for Lorie. But, while his passion in anger was commendable, he never once acted surprised by the betrayal.

I'd never made sense out of that—never really thought I'd have a reason to—but now, if I accepted what Mario proposed as truth, it fit. A lot of things would make more sense if he spoke accurately. But that was a very sizeable 'if'.

I stole a glance around me, knowing that every person in the room—minus the one who really couldn't bear my warm-blooded presence—had been extremely close to me at one time or another. None of them could have a reason for lying, other than to bring me unnecessary hurt. And I didn't think any of them were capable of that. They'd never been cruel to me before—the Cullen's had even left me in what Edward thought was the least painful way.

A clean break. Was that what Nathan was trying to do, all over again? Only this time it would be worse. Not only would Edward be out of my life, but there would be no chance of him returning. I didn't know how Nathan intended his scheme to be carried out, as he was but one vampire who would face eight of his own kind—but I did know that Nathan always got what he wanted.

"Wait a minute." I jumped at the sound of my own voice—I hadn't meant to speak out loud. I'd just remembered something else Mario had said, about my father being the easiest place for Nathan to start. "What would he want with Charlie? Why him and not Renee too? Nathan knows where Renee lives; she would have been his easiest place to start. If he's erasing my past, she's a pretty large part of it."

"But she's never been a part of _this_ life. She doesn't know about our world. As far as Nathan is concerned, it's only the life you had in Washington that needs to be purged. If he planned on doing more, it would have been after he took care of everything here."

"Charlie doesn't know anything, either!" I declared, still skeptical about Nathan's true intentions but fearing for my father nonetheless.

"Bella, don't worry," Jasper enforce his statement with a compelling wave of serenity. "Nothing is going to happen to your father while we're around. At least, not anything that Alice can foresee."

"They won't get near him," Alice confirmed.

I nodded at her, just as assured—if not more so—by her confidence than by the feelings Jasper was emitting. No one in their right mind would bet against Alice, after all.

Clearing my throat, I turned back to Mario. "Say this is all true," I began, eyeing him skeptically. "Say Nathan has this whole other heartless side to him that he's somehow kept completely under wraps—what am I supposed to do about it now?"

Mario opened his mouth to give his answer, but he was cut off by a smooth voice that made my heart jolt uncomfortably in my chest.

"Absolutely not. Just tell her what she needs to do." Edward sounded as calm and composed as always, but the way he was glaring Mario down said otherwise.

Mario's perfect features drew into a frown as he stared back. A moment passed in silence, while I tried to figure out what Mario could possibly be thinking about which such determination in his eyes. Finally, Edward responded aloud, in a voice that was more of a growl and brooked no defiance.

"No."

Mario resigned, his expression radiating disapproval. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, clearing the conflict from his mind before turning to look at me. His eyes shot once more in Edward's direction just before he started speaking, as if daring him to interrupt again—and then I had his full attention.

"This is going to require some acting on your part, if we're to do this correctly. Of course, we could do it the sloppy way too, but that might not be in our best interest. Not if you want everyone you love to stay alive."

I laughed bleakly. "By all means, on with the un-sloppy plan."

Mario cracked a smile, but it lingered for only the shortest of seconds. "We have to give Nathan what he wants. And then you're going to go back to Florida and play ignorant—that is the key, Bella. He cannot suspect that you know, or else he may decide to do something unexpected. When he leaves, you have to stand by as you would in any other circumstance. It doesn't matter if he calls in a dozen favors or more—if you protest in any way, it could cost you your mortality, or Lorie her life. And then we'll see to the rest from there."

A dozen or more favors? That must have been what Alice meant when she said that Nathan wouldn't be coming alone. She saw the Cullen's being outnumbered when he came to eliminate them. Just the thought was enough to make my stomach coil into knots.

"See to it how?" I was hesitant to ask at all, but the words slipped out without my acquiescence. It was subconscious—I wanted to know exactly what they planned to do even though I knew I wouldn't like it.

I noticed that Mario glanced at Edward, probably thinking his answer to make sure there were no problems with it before speaking out loud. It was strange that our conversation had to be edited; what would Edward want to keep me from hearing?

Edward gave a near imperceptible nod.

"Nathan's not going to stand around and talk to us, Bella. You know that. We'll try to discourage him, but… The only reason I'm asking you to wait with Lorie in Florida is because he probably won't be coming back." He gave me a small, apologetic smile.

I swallowed the urge to gasp. Of course they planned on killing Nathan—they couldn't just leave him alive if he had it in for them. And getting him to change his mind once it was set was like trying to change the course of the tides; it wasn't going to happen. But still, hearing it confirmed by someone else was different, more official, than just considering it as a possibility. I knew now that a fight was going to be inevitable no matter what, and that fact shook me to the core.

The prospect of Nathan being killed disturbed me. But that was nothing compared to the queasy feeling I got when I thought about the Cullen's in a dangerous situation. I knew they could hold their own against one vampire—past experiences had demonstrated that fact—but what would happen when they were outnumbered? What if Nathan's friends had powers that would put his group at an even greater advantage when it came down to violence?

"Bella?"

I glanced up at Alice, only slightly surprised to see her beside me on the couch. I was more focused on how lightheaded I felt, and how the room seemed to move with my upward glance. And how—even though I was giving Alice my full attention—I could not stop picturing all the ways that the Cullen's could end up getting hurt because of me.

"Yeah?"

She stretched one hand towards my face, the movement slow and deliberate. I didn't feel well enough to rebuff her. It wasn't until her cool skin brushed my cheek that I realized how overheated mine was.

"I think I should help you to the bathroom. Otherwise we'll have a mess on Esme's carpet, and she wouldn't like that too much." Her voice was soft, soothing.

She didn't wait for my response before shifting her arm around my lower back and towing me to my feet. Her arm gripped tightly, enabling her to half carry, half pull me from the room. I stifled a groan and shut my eyes, attempting to quell the urge to be sick. But that didn't help a bit—behind my eyelids, I could see my nightmare more clearly. Edward surrounded by Nathan and his friends, facing a battle in which he was more likely to fail than prevail. And I could not stomach such an image.

Luckily the toilet was right in front of my face when I heaved. I hadn't even realized I was kneeling.

Five minutes later, I was grateful for my lack of hunger that morning and the night before. I leaned back on the cool tiled floor and took deep breaths. Alice had left the room, likely sensing my need to be alone for the moment. That probably meant she was seeing my future more accurately, but I couldn't find the inclination to care. Not right then. I was too busy feeling awed by my body's reaction to seeing Edward in danger.

He left me alone and broken and didn't look back. Nathan had taken me in and treated me with distant respect for years. But those facts didn't change how I felt. I knew I could bear the thought of Nathan being killed—in fact, I could bear to watch him die a thousand deaths before I could endure seeing Edward in pain for a single second.

The emotions I'd held secure for eight years were not gone at all. Edward might have refused to change me back then, but he'd stopped time in another way. My heart would remain forever unchanging as it was when I was seventeen—when I fell in love with him.

The irony was there, but I couldn't find any humor in it.

I pushed myself slowly up to one knee. I was still feeling lightheaded, but now it was more likely due to lack of nourishment than anything else. It took far more effort than it should have to get to my feet. I took two steps towards the sink before glancing at the doorway—and then lost my balance at the sight of Edward standing there, watching me with dark eyes. Luckily it was only another step to the sink and I was able to catch myself with relative ease.

"Hey," I forced the word out, diffusing a potentially awkward moment. My reflection in the mirror—pallid, sweaty skin that almost immediately shifted to flushed, sweaty skin—was embarrassing enough.

His expression was unreadable as he walked into the room and offered me a glass. "Alice thought you would want this," he said, sounding oddly distressed.

"Thanks." I took it and turned back to the sink, rinsing my mouth out before taking a large drink of water. I drew the motions out, hesitant to speak with Edward while Florida Bella off in hiding, unreachable. It was all I had wanted earlier, but now I wasn't so sure.

"Are you all right?"

I sat the glass down and mustered a half-hearted smile. "I just don't really like Mario's plan," I admitted.

Edward seemed even more distressed than before. "I'm sorry. If there was a way to stop Nathan without killing him, we would. I hate that we are causing you pain—it disgusts me."

I laughed and shook my head in wonder. He thought it was Nathan's impending death that upset me. Forks Bella spoke up before I could rein in her honesty.

"I'm not worried back Nathan. Edward, I'm worried for you. I can't stand the thought of putting your family in harm's way."

His face registered surprise for a brief second, and then his lips spread into a wide, joyful grin. I was suddenly thankful for my inability to control my words—I would have said anything to see that smile again.

He took a step closer. "If that's your concern, I can assure you that nothing will happen to us. Alice can see these things, remember?"

"Yes, but I also remember you telling me that the future can change. Nothing is set in stone until after it happens."

I was aware that he was standing very close to me. His eyes had softened, and now held mine in a gaze that was affectionate, maybe even tender. The urge to reach out to touch him and assure myself that he was real was nearly impossible to suppress. My hand flinched towards him before I yanked it back to my side and used every ounce of my self-restraint to keep it there.

"You don't need to worry about us, Bella." His breath washed over me, making my mind go blank. "You're in more danger than all of us put together. The idea of sending you back to that miscreant goes against everything that feels right. If it were merely up to me, I would take you someplace far away, where you wouldn't have to deal with whatever outcome Nathan's anger leads to."

He didn't seem uncomfortable anymore—quite the opposite, actually. And I felt the same way. For those short-lived moments, it was as if I had never been left alone. Edward cared about me; he'd just said so. Eight years were suddenly like eight hours.

"Bella," Edward's voice, barely more than a whisper, was tantalizingly close.

I realized I was leaning towards him, and I didn't care. It felt right—more right than anything I'd done in recent memory.

"Yes?" I was whispering too. My heart beat erratically, which might have been embarrassing, had I been lucid enough to notice.

"I'm so sorry."

His words confused me enough to make me draw back and look at him more carefully. There was joy still present in his eyes, but it was joined by sorrow and regret.

"Sorry for what?" I asked, somewhat bewildered. Did he see the love my disloyal face was portraying and feel sorrow for it? Did he regret that I still had feelings for him?

My breath caught when he reached up and brushed his fingertips over my cheek. "I should never have left you. I entertained the foolish notion that your life would be safer without me in it." His touch lingered on my skin, drifting down towards my chin. His eyes followed the movement and came to rest on my lips, making me blush. "I should have known better," he whispered, so softly I wasn't sure if the words were even meant for me to hear.

What was I supposed to say to that? I didn't even think I could speak without stumbling over my words, so I kept my mouth shut. At the moment, I was plenty content without conversation complicating things. Just the way he was looking at me, and the chilly reassurance of his skin on mine… that was more than enough to make me happy. I think Edward realized that, because even after his eyes traveled back up to meet mine, we remained in silence for what felt like several more minutes.

Eventually his hand dropped from my face and he drew back a step. Absurdly, I felt colder without his body directly beside my own. A small shiver of disappointment rippled over my skin.

"Alice thinks it's time to get you back." His voice seemed to match my mood almost perfectly: dark with frustration and yet trimmed by something like elation. He took another step back and studied me earnestly. "Are you sure you're up for this?"

I nodded hesitantly, a little more clear-minded now that he was keeping his distance. "What exactly are we going to do?"

"I'm going to drive you back to your motel and we're going to wait for Bryant to return. Then I'm going to leave. Alice sees him following me back to Forks before calling Nathan and then turning back to question you. Mario gave consent to sell his portion of the company last night, so Nathan will have no reason to keep you out here any longer. You'll fly back to Florida tomorrow evening."

Taking deep breaths, I was able to keep up the appearance of calm. Although my heart probably still gave me away, I felt better when at least one portion of me was calm and serene. It was a direct contrast to the unease that stirred within me.

A hundred questions battled for my attention, but I was only able to voice them one at a time. I decided to go with the most important first, and work my way down from there.

"Why are you doing this?" My voice sounded weak, unsure. It definitely did not match with the composed expression I struggled to uphold.

Edward recoiled as though I'd spat at him. His eyes became shielded, a hard mask that held his emotions from my view. "Would you rather we had not interfered?" The words were sharp, like blades meant to cut me deeply.

I flinched as the blades hit their mark. "That's not what I meant," I insisted, instantly regretting my hastily formed question. "I just meant _why_—why would you complicate things for yourself, take risks, for my sake? You said last night it was because you all loved me, but that is past tense, Edward. What happened to your distractions, and your oppositions to playing human? _Why_ would you try to save me if you don't want me anymore?" I cringed at the misery that leaked into my voice towards the end of my little rant. I hadn't expected to put such sentiment into the questions; but my body had chosen to disobey me, so why not my voice too?

Edward's eyes softened, allowing me to perceive a profound sadness in their depths. For a moment he seemed far away, as if he were back in the past and reliving the memory I had in mind. "You have no idea how difficult it was for me to tell you those things. I thought my reasoning was sound, Bella, you have to understand that."

I blinked in surprise, wondering how it was possible that he seemed to be asking me for forgiveness. Not even in my most daring moments had I allowed myself to envision such a possibility. I had to doubt my own perception—there was no way Edward could still want me. Not after all of the time we'd spent apart, and especially not after I'd aged to be more than ten years his physical elder. But then he spread his arms out in a stance that exuded openness and continued, his silky voice doing more to erase my apprehension than anything else had in years.

"I thought that if you could move on, live a full, human life as you were intended to… I thought you could be happy as well as safe. Keeping you from the dangers of my existence was more important to me than the selfish urge of keeping you for myself. I would make any sacrifice if it meant preserving your safety." He laughed bitterly. "Logic should have made me realize that you don't know how to live a safe life. I—"

He cut off and cast a frustrated glance towards the empty doorway. I took a much needed deep breath, but it did little to compose the gooey mass that used to be my brain. There was too much information for me to process in such a short span of time; my mind felt like it had overloaded and shut down like the unreliable laptop Lorie and I shared back home.

Edward sighed, suddenly looking very tired—for a vampire, at least. "We're out of time. Let's go, we can talk further on the way."

* * *

So last time I didn't reply to as many reviews as I would have like to, but typing this chapter has pretty much taken up all my time on the computer this past week. The holidays make my job about a hundred times more difficult and time consuming. So a big thank you goes to those of you who took the time to tell me what you thought about the last chapter! I'm still going to try and make time to reply this time…and I hope you'll review anyway…*points earnestly at button in center of page*


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hello! It's been forever, and I'm sorry. But this chapter is twice as long as the others, so I hope that makes up for the long wait. It's mostly in Edward's POV, and covers most of chapters 8 and 9. I hope you guys enjoy it! I appreciate every review, so let me know what you think!! Criticism is welcome and totally valuable, so don't hold back! ****:P**

**Oh, the other characters mentioned that belong to other people don't belong to me. And the quote is from the Merchant of Venice.**

* * *

The ride back was interesting, to say the least. We took the same car Emmett had used to pick me up, but somehow it seemed smaller, more confined, with Edward in the driver's seat. If I was thinking logically it made absolutely no sense, considering Emmett's physical shape was much larger than Edwards—but that was how it felt.

I spent the first few minutes staring out the window. It wasn't raining just then, but the darkening sky was still coated with thick clouds. There would probably be a storm overnight. The setting sun reflected off the fluffy barrier, painting the horizon a disarray of oranges and reds. I was watching the colors shift in the rear-view mirror when Edward spoke.

"How are you holding up?"

I couldn't help the shiver that ran up my spine at the sound of his voice. I hated that simply hearing him speak was satisfying on some deep level—like my body craved every little part of him, no matter how miniscule. His question was, of course, just an altered, less obvious version of the one I'd heard numerous times in the past: 'what are you thinking?'

In truth, I was thinking so many things at once that I could hardly comprehend any of it myself. There was no way to put the turmoil inside my mind into words—at least, not without completely breaking down and likely having a panic attack. Instead, I chose to put all my thoughts on the back burner for the time being. If Alice saw correctly, I'd have a fair amount of time for freaking out by myself when Bryant left to follow Edward.

"I'm as well as can be expected, I guess." I tried to answer his question without lying, but without giving anything away, either. "I think it's all still sinking in." Well, that part was definitely true.

"That's understandable. We've challenged your take on reality, it's only normal that you should be confused." He sounded entertained, like he thought it was amusing that I was finally reacting in a way that he expected.

But he was wrong. I wasn't confused at all. The confusion was behind me, now I was just… chaotic.

"I'm worried," I admitted, keeping my eyes fixed on the shadows growing outside. "It sounds like anything could go wrong. What if Bryant doesn't turn around like Alice expects him to? What if Nathan decides not to bother with coming to Washington? Do we just let it go then? Will I see you again?"The last question popped out before I could stop it. Since there was no chance of turning back time, I blushed, bit my lip, and awaited his response.

Each passing second seemed like hours of silence. My doubt grew as they ticked by, bringing no response from Edward. It was coming, I could feel it. The moment when he would squash my dim, building hope. Even if everything went well, what would happen then? Would any of them deign themselves to stay in my life when it was no longer in mortal danger?

When he finally answered, his voice was quiet and I thought I could feel him looking at me. "None of the possibilities, or the setbacks, or even an entire change of plans could keep me from seeing you again. I don't think even you could stop me."

Stunned, I couldn't keep myself from glancing in his direction. The familiar sight of him in the driver's seat gave me an odd sense of nostalgia. We could have been on the same road, eight years in the past, driving in the opposite direction after a very eventful night in Port Angeles. The seriousness in his expression was the same I remembered from that night. The tightness of his lips, the deep crease between his worried eyebrows, they were the same.

I couldn't help but wish that the last eight years hadn't happened at all. That we could still be in that moment, and Edward was simply dropping me off at Charlie's house and would be back in the morning to pick me up for school.

There was a very large part of me that would have gladly gone back to relive my time with him, even knowing it would end as it had. That was just the power of first love; people in literature and films suffered for it, they died for it, and never did they seem to regret it.

But I was worse than Elizabeth—if the arrogant Mr. Darcy had left her after just beginning their relationship, she wouldn't have harbored any more kind feelings towards him. I was far weaker than Catherine, and nearly as dense as Juliet. Perhaps even denser. I had no way of knowing how Juliet would have reacted to being abandoned by Romeo, but I didn't think she would pine over him for eight years. Not when Paris was waiting in the wings, and everyone around her wished for her to be married to him. She would have moved on.

I was an idiot for not having done the same, but here I was, practically swooning at the first hint of Edward wanting me back. I needed to grow a backbone, and quick. Florida Bella really needed to come out of remission and assist me, because I was turning to putty in Edward's hand without her.

"Bella?"

I flinched and faced forward as my face flooded with heat all over again.**(A/N: Yes, I like alliteration. Can you tell?)** That was it—no more looking away from the windows.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "I'm sure you guys have it figured out pretty well." I could barely recall what we'd been talking about before I'd zoned out.

Edward laughed quietly beside me, and then we were silent. I glared out at the darkness, angry and embarrassed with myself. I thought I had learned from my experiences. My relationships in Florida were all distant, kept at arm's length _because_ of what I had learned from the Cullen's.

Feeling too strongly about a person could mean getting hurt. It was simple concept, one I had applied to every single connection I'd made in the last eight years. But the amount of good it had done me was laughable—because I couldn't change a thing about the connections that were made before the concepts application.

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**Edward's POV**

I'd had the longest night of my entire existence. The internal struggle I endured was second only to the way I felt the first nights after leaving Forks. Bella was so close; I could have driven to where she was in a matter of minutes. But I couldn't go. Not even just to watch her sleep, as I so dreadfully—almost painfully—wished to do. My presence would not be accepted, not by Bella, and most certainly not by the wretched vampire who had permission to be near her.

If she was talking in her sleep, it was he who heard it. It was he she woke to that morning, and probably his voice that she last heard before slipping off to sleep the night before.

Jealousy was no longer new to me; I'd had my fair share of the emotion since getting to know Isabella Swan. But jealousy had never been so quick to converge into fury. I wanted to destroy Bryant, who didn't even know he had offended me. His intentions might have even been pure, but that was beside the point. I didn't know him at all, and so I couldn't judge. It wouldn't really matter in the slightest, though—just that he was currently in my place was enough—in my opinion—to justify the plotting of his final death.

"Edward, stop it." Jasper's agitated voice interrupted my contemplation for the eighth time since returning from the fundraiser the night before. The words were perfectly clear, regardless of the fact that they were spoken from the floor below me. He'd probably been thinking at me for awhile, but I was too wrapped up in my own morbid thoughts to take heed of anyone else's.

"I can't." I tried to sound at least the tiniest bit apologetic. Jasper couldn't block his power as sufficiently as I, and my anger was likely taking its toll on him.

I should have started to focus on clearing my mind at that point. Actually, I should have done that hours ago. Upsetting Jasper wasn't going to help anything—he was getting fed up, and would soon start radiating my anger out on everyone else.

Usually I would have attempted to prevent that. But not today. Today Jasper's empathetic ability served to heighten my resentment; I loathed sharing such intense feelings with anyone, despite their closeness to me. These feelings of abhorrence and grief, they belonged to me—it was a pity that they compelled Jasper to pick a fight with Alice downstairs, but that would not keep me from suffering what was mine to suffer.

Though, perhaps it would have done everyone some good if I were to bear my thoughts elsewhere, alone. This frustration that had been building every single second I knew Bella was alone with Bryant was only intensifying; it wasn't going away anytime soon. Not until I could see her again, and see that she was well. I could go to my meadow—the one I'd shared with Bella for a brief time—and wait the time out there.

No sooner had the thought had crossed my mind than the door to my room was thrust inward and Alice flew to my side. Incredulity flickered through her golden eyes as she glared up at me.

"We're all downstairs waiting for Bella to arrive, and you're planning on leaving? I thought you _wanted_ to see her." She rested her hands on her hips, taking on a very human defensive position.

"I do." But I didn't see why I should make my family go through hell in the meantime.

Why they were all gathered downstairs was beyond me—Mario had been unable to reach Bella, he'd called on his way back from the office to tell us so.

Alice smirked at me, the disbelief in her expression melting away to somber amusement. I could have reached for her thoughts, but I didn't want to. "For a mind reader, you sure don't have a clue what's going on. Bella called Mario back this morning, and she called again just a half hour ago. She'll be here in ten minutes, tops. Haven't you been listening at all?"

I shook my head, only slightly surprised I'd missed so much of what was going on around me. It was easy to do when one's own thoughts were complex enough to keep them occupied. I'd been incredibly unobservant in the week after having met Bella Swan, and then again for the better part of a year after forcing myself to leave her. It only stood to reason that I would be the same now, after seeing her for the first time in close to a decade. Eight years might not seem like a great length of time to the rest of my kind, but eight years without Bella might as well have been a century.

"I'll leave you alone, but come down soon, okay?" Alice didn't wait for my response before bouncing from the room, her dark hair springing behind her.

I let down my mental block gradually, catching each of my family member's thoughts in succession. The first voice I heard belonged to Alice, as she was closest to me, and the rest joined from there.

_Oh, I hope she doesn't actually get sick. That's one human trait I don't mind not remembering… Edward, I know you're listening. Quit being unsociable and get moving._

A small smile crept to my face, which widened upon hearing the tenor of Esme's thoughts. Both she and Carlisle were delighted to reacquaint themselves with Bella, but Esme was by far the most thrilled. Carlisle remembered this night was not going to revolve around the joy of reuniting with a loved one, but something much grimmer. My mother—kind, caring creature that she is—had allowed herself to forget the dire basis for our meeting. There were when times I wished I could see the world from her perspective all the time, but then I would realize that all of the optimism would eventually drive me to madness.

_Welcome back to the realm of rational emotions brother. I was hoping you'd return quicker, but better late than never, right? _Jasper had already caught on to the change that Alice's visit invoked on my mood. His thoughts then shifted as Alice strolled into the room and sat next to him, and I moved on to the next member of my family.

_This is absolutely ridiculous. And Emmett jumped at the opportunity to go see his 'little sister' when everyone else was just as capable of picking her up. Asshole. We should be leaving her alone like we're supposed to. If Nathan wants to make her like us, that's between the two of them. He could kill her off for all the difference it would make. Edward already acts like she's dead._

As usual, Rosalie's thoughts were unpleasant. I'd learned long ago not to pay much attention to the shallowness that was my self-centered sister. I had thought her resentment towards Bella was fading with time, but apparently I'd been mistaken. Rosalie could never stand it when anyone took attention away from her—especially Emmett's attention.

Forget my feelings of self-loathing; how could Jasper put up with all of the jealousy that Rosalie was broadcasting?

I started down the hall to join my family, deciding that I'd have to ask Jasper about that later. Now wasn't the time; Bella would be arriving in less than eight minutes. Thanks to Alice—and my regained awareness—I could already see her entering the house, her clothes and hair matted with rainwater. The sight was lovely enough to keep my mind from wandering off track.

_If she still acts like that shell… I don't know what I'm going to do. I might shake her. Maybe a broken bone will put the Bella back in her._

I didn't catch Mario's thoughts until I'd stepped into the room with him; probably because I wasn't quite used to hearing his 'voice' along with everyone else's. I could hardly stand to listen to him now—now that he doubted our ability to help Bella. It was an easily determined fact that he wanted what was best for her, as I could read his thoughts I was sure of it, but knowing that didn't keep me from getting angry.

I nodded at Carlisle, smiled at Esme, and took a seat. Alice grinned enthusiastically, her eyes twinkling.

_Five more minutes._

It was exactly four minutes later when a car slowed on the highway and made the turn into our drive. Alice squealed in anticipation and Rosalie rolled her eyes—and then I stopped focusing on my family as the familiar rhythm of Bella's heartbeat entered my earshot. We all assumed silence when Emmett cut the engine and the two of them got out. I stopped breathing altogether.

Bella took a few steps towards the house, her shoes crunching against the wet, near-frozen soil. "What happened to your jeep, anyway?" she asked, in a voice that was much less timid than I was somehow expecting.

Emmett's steps were soundless, but his voice was closer to the house than Bella's when he answered. "I traded it in for a newer model last year. This is Edward's. It was faster."

There was no reply from Bella. The crunching resumed as she followed Emmett to the porch. I took in a deep, deliberate breath just before the door pushed inward and Emmett stepped aside, grinning as he waved to an unseen Bella.

It was just like in Alice's vision: Bella came in with a smile on her face, as if she were actually pleased to be here. Hope stirred in the back of my mind, rising from the restraints I'd unknowingly put in place. I was truly afraid that Bella would want nothing to do with us, with me. I was afraid to hope for anything more than her actions allowed. The way she'd dismissed me last night had been anything but encouraging.

Everyone's thoughts exploded in different directions; I heard a dozen questions, a dozen sentiments—but no one said a word out loud. Emmett closed the door behind him, creating the only audible sound to be heard. The movement pushed a waif of air into the room and, even though I was holding my breath, I could _taste_ the change that Bella's presence brought. The air tasted almost floral—lavender and freesia, the sweetest, most tempting concoction I'd ever encountered.

Mario shifted on the couch across from me, sitting up to his full height. "Would it have killed you to carry an umbrella on your walk?" He asked the question loudly, and then laughed even louder—attempting to dispel the awkwardness that had settled upon Bella's arrival.

Alice leapt up in a fraction of a second, thoughts of dressing Bella in some of her favorite designers flashing through her mind. But the offer was barely spoken before it was shot down, courtesy of a very calm and collected Bella.

She was different from the night before. Her composure had been more forced then, tense around the edges. That tension was gone today. And it wasn't just since she'd walked into the house; I watched Emmett's memory of her getting in my car, thankful that he was replaying it for me, whether it was intentional or not. She'd been poised from the beginning, even when she was absolutely drenched and shivering with from the cold.

Was it possible that yesterday's unease had been no more than a side effect of shock? Could she actually be as untroubled as she appeared?

I didn't contemplate long before seeking out Jasper's thoughts.

…_get that, Edward? Are you okay over there?_

Breaking my gaze away from Bella, I shot him a questioning look.

_Did you hear anything I just told you? _Jasper's 'voice' sounded exasperated.

I gave a slight shrug and shook my head. Bella took the coat that Esme had retrieved from the closet behind her and commented on the house. Jasper rolled his eyes.

_I just went through every feeling coming off of her. Could you possibly pay attention this time? _

I nodded and kept his thoughts in the front of my mind as Mario stood and called our little meeting to order.

_She's not as comfortable as she looks, first of all. _I'd known that was too good to be true. _There's nervousness coming off her in thick waves. It's strong, but not as strong as I'd expect, and certainly not enough to bother me. Strangely, it all but abated when Mario spoke to her—but then spiked when Esme asked how she'd been._

That didn't seem too strange to me. From Mario's thoughts, I'd discerned that he had come to care about Bella. Yes, he was tired of his existence under Nathan's command—but he'd been tired for a long time. The motivation that finally pushed him into leaving was Bella's safety. It was no surprise that she was able to draw comfort from someone who had been close to her for so long.

_I'm getting quite a bit of anxiety, like she…_

I lost my concentration on Jasper's thoughts when Bella turned to meet my gaze. She didn't smile or frown, or even change her expression in the slightest; but her eyes held an unbalanced light that was entirely familiar. In those fleeting seconds, I didn't need Jasper to tell me what she was thinking.

Somehow I'd managed to dazzle her without even meaning to. It was surprising, and unexpectedly satisfying, that I still had the ability to do so.

"Come and sit down," Mario advised. His voice made Bella flinch and glanced down, her short hair caressing the rose colored skin of her cheeks. Blood rushed to the surface of her skin; it was nearly enough to have me opening my mouth to better taste the air, but I resisted.

_Now that was interesting,_ Jasper thought.

Bella took a seat on the far end of the couch and I shot Jasper a look that demanded an explanation.

But he wasn't looking at me.

Through his thoughts—and with my own eyes—I watched Bella's face light up with an expression of pure kindness. It was the most open smile she'd offered yet. I had to acknowledge the spike of jealousy that jabbed me in the back when it was meant for him and not me.

_Maybe she won't care as much as we think she will. _The thought caught my attention. I glanced towards Mario, where it had originated. His expression was grave as he watched Bella greet Jasper._ She's being plenty nice enough, but this quiet _thing_ is not Bella. I've seen her more at ease herding humans in for dinner. _

He might have been thinking the truth, but that didn't make it any more bearable. The doubts that had risen in Mario's mind since we met with Bella at the benefit were agonizing, mainly because he knew her well enough to be a reasonable judge of her reactions. He was beginning to wonder if she'd bottled up her past, not to savor it by keeping it to herself, but in order to escape it for good.

It was a terrifying possibility. One in which I refused to place any credence, no matter how substantial Mario's doubts became. And when his thoughts strayed too far from our objective, I was quick to help him get back on track.

"_Stick to the plan," _I hissed the words under my breath, stopping just before growling for emphasis.

Mario shot me a look of displeasure but sat down and focused his thoughts. It was a good thing too—if I had to hear 'she might be better off with Nathan' one more time, I was going to do something I'd probably end up regretting later.

Nathan didn't plan on giving Bella a choice in the direction of her own life. He would take everything from her without so much as asking her opinion. It was time for her to fully understand what had taken her so long to grasp in the first place: a life intertwined with my kind meant a life of constant danger.

Mario sighed mentally and began, speaking with reluctance. "We need to talk about Nathan, Bella." _There's no easy way to do this. She's going to hate me for not telling her as soon as he came to me._

Bella had leaned back into the couch and taken on a more relaxed air--due in part to my brother, I was sure. "What about him?" she asked, appearing indifferent.

_I'm going to ease up a little so she can think. Hopefully she won't look at Edward again; I almost grabbed Alice and held on to her for dear life. If I could cry… yeah, I don't know if I would have cried, but I'm amazed that she didn't. All that love and agony battling against each other can't possibly be healthy. _

Jasper's silent words reinforced my belief that we were doing the right thing. If Bella were as indifferent as she appeared, her emotions would not have been so intense or conflicting. I barely listened as Mario voiced the first of many premeditated questions. My attention was focused on the constant flow of information that Jasper was so generously providing.

_She doesn't feel that bad at all. Honestly, it's as if she's determined not to let me feel any anxiety. There's discomfort, but it's miniscule. I feel a lot of confidence. Is it possible she already knows what we're going to tell her?_

I broke concentration when Bella spoke up. "He knew I lived in Washington. He thought I'd run off and lead Bryant to the… people I used to know here." She _was_ confident, even waving off the direction of Mario's question with a shrug of her shoulders.

Mario wasted no time before throwing out the next clue. "And? Why would he be so interested in your past? You're just a human, like Lorie. He doesn't care about where Lorie came from, does he?"

Bella shrugged again, maintaining her indifference. She'd been clever as a teenager; I could only assume that her intelligence had blossomed along with the rest of her. It only made sense that she would have come to her own conclusions over the matter a long time ago.

She proved me correct with a poised explanation that was all but entirely accurate. However, she was missing the most crucial element—the one that regarded her life.

_And the confusion unfolds. I guess she doesn't know._ Jasper kept his monitor on Bella's feelings and I kept my monitor on his, while also catching the other thoughts in the room.

_This is so not going to be pretty. Too bad there's not enough time to ease her into it a little more gently. _Alice was worried about Bella—no surprise there. I was sure she'd spent the afternoon with her visions, following all of our possible decisions to their outcomes in attempt to weed out the things we should avoid saying. But editing would only do us so much good; the conversation would still be difficult, and my Bella was still going to be in pain.

_Now she's upset. I think he offended her somehow. Insulted and confused—not a great combination._

I frowned and paid closer attention to what Mario was saying. "Just think for a moment, will you?" His tone wasn't quite unfriendly, but it was apparent he was running low on patience. "Think of how Lorie feels about Nathan, and of how Nathan treats her. Think about how he regards Kim, the only human he's ever called family. And then think about how he acts towards you."

He wasn't really asking that much of her. At the age of seventeen, Bella had been the most observant human I'd yet encountered--observant and accepting. Granted, Nathan been successful keeping his motives secret from every member of his coven for several years now, but somehow I expected her to catch on. Bella was special; she was the exception to human blindness.

_Stop thinking about everyone else and focus on yourself for once! __Haven't you learned by now to recognize a threat when you see one? _These were my thoughts. It would be better for her to understand on her own, without us having to spell it out. She was more apt to believe us if the answer had already presented itself to her.

_She's not going to figure it out. _Alice might as well have read my mind. The unhappy words seemed like a direct reply to my thoughts. _Bella would never guess that he could be infatuated with her. She's far too self-conscious for something like that._

I believed Alice was right, but who was I to know? Bella had defied even Alice's visions the night before—what more proof did we need to see that we might not know her as well as we thought? Either way, we would give her all the time she needed to think about it, even as time was of the greatest importance. This sort of thing couldn't be rushed. We wanted her to trust us and not act rashly when everything was brought to light, as some of Alice's more disturbing visions were predicting.

After an eternity of mere minutes, Bella stirred. I delved into Mario's thoughts as her gaze lifted and met his.

_Did she actually solve—oh. No, I guess she didn't. Hell._

I might have found his aggravated state amusing, had the cause been something—or someone—less significant. It was rare to catch Mario without completely coherent thoughts. Like most of our kind, he was typically composed and quite sure of himself. This was a side of our new brother that I had yet to behold, but it made sense that I would get to see it now. My Bella was capable of making the best of us behave out of character.

As if to prove my point, Jasper visibly flinched and then went rigid, the hand that wasn't holding Alice balled into a tight fist. _Whoa—her emotions just spiked through the roof. She's terrified of what we're going to tell her. Dread and impatience, confusion, fear. The other humans are two celled organisms next to this._

I trusted his judgment. If he said Bella's emotions were in turmoil, they were in turmoil—no matter that her face showed no hint of it being true. The imitation of a smile her lips formed was but another example of the differences that time could create. From a dreadful liar to a skillful illusionist; I had to wonder if the average human being could have achieved such a thorough transformation.

I felt bad for the person who had served as practice to perfect Bella's art of deception. But—surprisingly—I did not regret that she had picked up on the skill. It made her that much greater of an enigma. Plus it couldn't hurt a danger attracting human like Bella to be proficient at fibbing her way out of a bad situation.

But would she lie to me? Would she be able to? Was she not already, with this pretense meant to dupe everyone in the house?

I wanted to consider it further, but nothing could hold my interest when Bella and her confused eyes turned to focus on me. Her posture was stiffer now; leaning forward with her hands pressed into her knees in a firm way that didn't look natural—or comfortable, for that matter. The mask of unconcern was still in place, but I thought that it might be wavering. It no longer reached her eyes; they were filled with apprehension and unease, and seemed to be pleading with me for answers.

There was no way not to feel pain because of her pain. The only pain I had ever felt in this life was pain for Bella. Nothing else could affect my emotions in the way that she did. Without her, nothing was worth feeling.

She seemed to realize she was staring and quickly looked away, turning back to Mario. "Just get on with it already. We haven't got all day. What is this about?"

_She's not impatient, she's scared. Does she think she can fool me? I really didn't want to do it like this, but what choice is she leaving? She's going to be pissed. _"Bella, surely you can see where I'm coming from. Why do you think you haven't been asked to provide in the same way?"

Bella shook her head. "Umm…"

I tried to swallow back my anger, knowing what was coming. Mario had a lot of good in him, I had to remember that. He wasn't the same as those he associated with. He'd been willing to change.

"Do you think Bryant has gone this long without requesting permission to taste you? Do you think I went without asking?"

It didn't matter that I'd prepared myself to hear it. The idea of someone wanting to cause Bella harm—whether it was in the past or not—was enough to make my nonexistent blood boil. The urge to tear something apart leapt through my body, sending a growl tearing out of my throat. Mario—who had truly urged Nathan to allow him a chance to drink from Bella, a memory I'd only been subjected to once—was a mere six feet away, and a perfectly justifiable outlet for my wrath.

_Whoa, lose the antagonism there, Edward._ Jasper caught on to the change in my emotions at the same moment Alice's thoughts shouted, _Don't do anything stupid now! He's about to tell her; don't ruin it!_

Her vision was of me leaping to the other couch and ripping Mario from his seat, and then the movements became so fast I could barely make out who was tearing what from whom. Bella's screams provided the music for our deadly dance. Needless to say, a quick peek into that future was enough to keep me from choosing it.

_I can't take back what I've done in the past, Edward._ Mario's thoughts were repentant, as if he wished the statement were untrue. _I would apologize, but what good would it do? I understand your anger, but there's really no point in disturbing Bella further, right? Let's at least pretend to be civilized. _

He was right. But the urge to kill him was still fresh. I focused on remaining in my seat and, with Jasper's help, managed to calm myself to some extent. Mario turned his attention back to Bella, visibly steeling himself in order to say what needed to be said. I hoped Bella was steeling herself, too.

"What I mean to say is this: Nathan has special interest in regards to you, Bella. And he seeks to know your past—but why?" His voice was emotionless as he went on to answer his own question. "Would you believe that Nathan thinks you are a slave to your old life, and that to have your full interest would mean severing all ties to what you used to know?"

I watched Bella carefully, keeping an eye out for the signs of shock—or of anger, as Mario was expecting. Fortunately for him, Bella seemed far from angry. She was still hovering around confused. "A slave to my old life?" The words were spoken like she was repeating something in a foreign language—something she didn't understand.

Mario nodded and spoke slowly. "What do you think all of our assumptions were about that scar on your hand? And the fact that you came to us with every idea of what we were, and a history you refused to speak about?" He tried to get her to see reason one last time before proceeding. The thoughts of most in the room had gone silent; I ceased breathing, torn between letting the conversation continue and saving Bella from the pain she would inevitably feel if it did. Mario continued before I'd really made up my mind. He made himself glaringly clear this time, and Bella finally seemed to catch on, if not doubtfully.

"Wait, let me get this straight. Nathan thinks that I can't get over my past, and so he wants to eliminate it?" Mario actually sighed in relief as the rest of us nodded. "But _why _would he want to do that?"

_Mercy, Bella! You'd better not misunderstand this._ Mario leaned forward and spoke softly. "It's really quite simple. Nathan wanted the two of you to have the opportunity of starting over fresh once he's changed you."

Two seconds passed in silence, and then the silence was filled by Bella's laughter. I clenched one hand into a fist and pressed it into the sofa by my leg, frustrated. We were discussing her humanity, and Bella found it funny.

_Calm down, man. _Jasper sent a command along with the thought, forcing me to do just that. _We don't have time for dramatics. She's having a hard enough time absorbing all this without you causing any more emotional havoc. _

Alice, her thoughts bursting with compassion for the woman we all loved, spoke in the most solemn voice she could muster. "He wasn't joking, Bella. I can't see it happening—but that kind of makes sense, when you think about it." Well, yes; if all went according to his plan, we'd be nonexistent when Bella was changed. "I have seen Nathan coming here, though. And he doesn't come alone."

Bella's air of unconcern was fading fast. Anyone with the least bit of perception wouldn't need Jasper's power to read her expression and know that she didn't believe us. A familiar defiant light sparked in her eyes and she shook her head forcefully. "He has no reason to come out here. And he has no special plans for me, either. If he were going to change anybody, it would be Lorie."

_Leave it to Bella to make things harder than they need to be. We're going to be here all night talking history._ Mario was offended by her doubt, but he managed to keep a level tone without any assistance from Jasper as he shot down her flimsy argument. He'd known Bella long enough to appreciate that expressing his anger would only make things more difficult.

They argued about the human girl Lorie for several minutes. Bella was obviously close to the girl in question; she spoke passionately, refusing to accept Mario's logic until he was forced to change the subject. "You cannot imagine the position you put Nathan in when you refused, time and time again, to give him the information he sought. He waited years for you to trust him. And when you never did, he came to me with a proposition."

Bella's interest was sparked, though she still frowned with skepticism. "What sort of proposition?" she asked in a dry voice.

_Now we're getting somewhere. _"This one," he answered, spreading his arms to indicate the house and everyone in it—or maybe the state in general. "He wanted me to trail you around Washington and find out what I could. His plan was exceptionally simple. I was to take note of anyone you seemed friendly with—so they could be dealt with later, after your return to Florida. I'm sure that Bryant has the same instructions, only he wouldn't know why he's doing it. Nathan didn't want anyone else to know the full extent of his plans."

"The full extent being to murder my so-called friends in Washington, and then change me?" Bella's voice was hard, devoid of nearly all emotion. The sound of such words coming from her, in such a careless tone, was devastating. Mario nodded and she continued, her voice raising an octave to better express her doubt. "And then what? Let me loose to depopulate southern Florida and expose his business for what it really is? Why would he _do_ that?"

Her inability to be persuaded was gnawing on Mario's nerves. "You're not thinking, Bella," he declared. "Listen to me now—you don't have long to process all of this, and I know it's come as a bit of a shock."

I tuned out his next explanation, knowing what he said would only add fuel to the fire burning in my stomach—the fire that urged me destroy anything that posed a threat to Isabella Swan. Determination to control my monstrous side—and Bella's presence—was all that kept me fastened in place. But I wasn't sure how much more I would be able to take; the conversation at hand was more agonizing than I'd been anticipating.

Mario finished speaking and silence took the place of his voice, stretching the length of several minutes. At least, it was silent for everyone else. I had plenty to listen to, but none of the voices were the one I longed to hear.

_I hate that we only get to talk to her when it's about something like this. It would've been nice to see her when she was happy. _Alice's thoughts were cheerless, and I couldn't help but suspect that they were directed towards me—which she quickly confirmed. _I hope you know that nothing you can say will make me leave her a second time. We're going to be friends again when all of this is over. You _will not_ change that._

I might have been offended by the commanding quality of her address, had the circumstances been altered, and had she not been absolutely right. But she should have known better. Leaving Bella again wasn't even an option anymore—it hadn't been since the day I learned about her life in Florida.

Apparently Bella was determined to live in the presence of deathly company, and I fit that role better than any other could. Nathan would not be allowed to claim her; and I was unwilling to stand by and wait for her to cross paths with another coven—which would undoubtedly happen, were we to leave her alone. It was rare for a human to happen upon more than one vampire in their lifetime, but not Bella Swan. No, she attracted us like moths to a flame.

_I think we're witnessing a breakthrough. She's starting to believe, but it's still vague. We may have put too much on her at once. She's only human, after all. _

I nodded at Jasper, partially agreeing with him and partially thanking him. I'd have to do it properly later; it was harder for Jasper to be around Bella than it was for the rest of us. And yet he stuck it out, because he knew that I was desperate for a glimpse at how Bella really felt, and because he wanted to help however he could.

Mario's thoughts were hopeful, worried, and just conflicted in general. His eyes were fixed on Bella, mentally picking out all the signs of her distress: tight shoulders, drooped gaze, and tensed muscles throughout her entire body. I watched from his viewpoint as Bella eyes popped open wider and her heart rate increased considerably.

"Wait a minute," she whispered. I jerked my head in her direction, anxious to hear what thought had caused such a sudden physical and verbal reaction. "What would he want with Charlie?" Of course her first concern would be for others and not herself. At least she was being true to character. Bella continued, "why him and not Renee too? Nathan knows where Renee lives; she would have been his easiest place to start. If he's erasing my past, she's a pretty large part of it."

Mario's thoughts were grim. _Had you mentioned him more often, had you told us _anything _about him… _He was disturbed; hurting Bella was not something easily done. I could empathize with him on that point. Somehow he managed kept his voice level as he replied, offering a clarification that even he felt was flimsy.

"But she's never been a part of _this_ life. She doesn't know about our world. As far as Nathan is concerned, it's only the life you had in Washington that needs to be purged." _The life you insist on keeping from him,_ he added silently. "If he planned on doing more, it would have been after he took care of everything here."

"Charlie doesn't know anything, either!" Bella asserted, her eyes wide, pleading. It was the loudest and most forceful thing she'd said yet.

The urge to comfort her—to somehow do away with all of her pain—was almost overpowering. I actually started to close the distance between us and take her in my arms, but stopped myself at the last possible second. Such an act would likely cause her more grieve now, rather than relieve it.

Jasper sensed my troubled emotions and spoke up for the first time. "Bella, don't worry. Nothing is going to happen while we're around. At least, not anything that Alice can foresee." He knew as well as I that his wife would be keeping close tabs on Charlie's future, just as she was Bella.

"They won't touch him." Alice was quick to back him up, offering Bella what peace of mind she could.

Bella's expression softened for a split second, then she made a small noise in the back of her throat and turned to Mario. I could tell from the defeated look on her face that she believed us, and was now concerned for the future.

"Say this is all true," she said, her voice soft. "Say Nathan has this whole other heartless side to him that he's somehow kept completely under wraps—what am I supposed to do about it now?"

I only heard the end of her question vaguely, because Mario's thoughts had abruptly taken the majority of my attention. _She could fix all of this so easily. She's been happy with Nathan for years. If she can just talk some sense into him, tell him everything, tell him she's willing to start fresh without the whole violent prelude—this could all go away._

I snarled under my breath and fixed the other vampire in my stare. "Absolutely not," I declared, much louder than I'd intended. Everyone heard, including Bella, who I felt flinch on the opposite end of the couch. "Just tell her what she needs to do," I continued in a relatively calm voice, thanks to my ever-helpful brother. Jasper was sending enough soothing emotions to tranquilize a herd of elephants, but only succeeded in taking the edge off my fury.

Mario glared back at me, his thoughts frustrated and not nearly as fearful as they should have been. _You cannot say that it wouldn't be the easiest solution. Bella has been safe with Nathan for the better part of a decade. He basically worships her. This is about Bella, not you—and I think they could find happiness together. She deserves the choice._

It took all of my willpower not to rip his angry eyes right out of their sockets. He would pay for this later. "No," I growled, being as final as possible.

_You are being absurd, Edward. We can't say we're doing what's best for Bella if we're being as single minded as Nathan. A war between our two covens should not be the only answer._

I didn't respond aloud, reminding him with just my expression that he should not step out of line. He couldn't make this any more complicated than it already was—I wouldn't allow it. Mario seemed to comprehend that, because he didn't press the issue any further.

He turned back to Bella and spoke in a dull voice. "This is going to require some acting on your part, if we're to do this correctly. Of course, we could do it the sloppy way too, but that might not be in our best interest. Not if you want everyone you love to stay alive." He smirked towards the end, and Bella laughed, even though he wasn't joking in the slightest.

"By all means, on with the un-sloppy plan," she permitted.

Mentally, Mario prepared to be shouted at—which sort of surprised me. Had Bella really become such an outspoken person? She'd been on the quiet side during the all-too brief time we spent together in the past.

"We have to give Nathan what he wants. And then you're going to go back to Florida and play ignorant—that is the key, Bella. He cannot suspect that you know, or else he may decide to do something unexpected. When he leaves, you have to stand by as you would in any other circumstance. It doesn't matter if he calls in a dozen favors or more—if you protest in any way, it could cost you your mortality, or Lorie her life. And then we'll see to the rest from there."

He said the last part hurriedly, dropping his voice so that it seemed less important than the rest. By doing so he hoped Bella would ignore it, but we both knew she was more observant than that.

"See to it how?" Bella's voice was just above a whisper. Her heartbeat was drumming out an uneven cadence, letting on to just how uneasy she was.

_She's going to do something drastic, but I'm going to tell her. There's no way for her to make a rational choice if all of the facts aren't put out on the table._ Mario glanced towards me as he thought, lifting an eyebrow in question. I responded with a nod of approval—Bella was under a lot of stress at the moment, but there was still more that needed to be said. This would be our last chance for strategizing as a group before Bella returned to her home; there was no time but the present.

"Nathan's not going to stand around and talk to us, Bella. You know that. We'll try to discourage him, but… The only reason I'm asking you to wait with Lorie in Florida is because he probably won't be coming back."

If Alice's visions were anything close to how reality would play out, there was no probably about it. She'd only seen two possible outcomes thus far, and neither of them ended with Nathan walking away. We couldn't really trust the finality of that yet, though. The future was apt to change at any moment. Nothing was ever certain until it came to be.

I watched as Bella struggled to come to terms. Her eyes took on a glassy quality and dropped downward again, hiding from my view. She seemed to draw into herself, breathing shallowly and ignoring all of the concerned gazes aimed in her direction.

Out of nowhere, Jasper emitted a muted grunt that sounded like someone in pain. I glanced up, automatically scanning the room for any sort of threat as I reached for my brother's thoughts.

_Oh, God; someone help her…_ Even the voice in his mind was strained and gasping.

Alice reacted before I could piece together what was happening. She took the empty space on our couch and spoke Bella's name softly.

Bella lifted her face gradually, revealing her glassed over eyes and a skin color that was several shades off from the norm. I couldn't remember ever seeing her in such a state.

"Yeah?" Her voice was unnaturally weak.

I saw the action play out in Alice's mind before she actually reached over to touch Bella's discolored cheek. _She's clammy,_ Alice thought, concerned. _I guess I saw this part right, after all._

Before I could ask what she meant, I was presented with a replay of a vision I'd missed at some point during the evening. Bella, kneeling over the toilet in the downstairs hallway, coughing violently— and suddenly everything made sense.

"I think I should help you to the bathroom," she told Bella, speaking with deliberate sweetness. "Otherwise we'll have a mess on Esme's carpet, and she wouldn't like that too much."

_Take her, please take her. _Jasper was in agony. I could only imagine how Bella was feeling, and I didn't like what my imagination came up with.

Alice didn't wait for a response before sweeping Bella to her feet and gently hauling her out of the room. The tiniest voice in the back of her mind was telling her to walk with excessive slowness; if she stalled for about eight seconds, Bella would mess up her shirt and agree to let Alice give her a new outfit to wear. Thankfully, my sister was capable of ignoring the fashion bug that ordinarily consumed her undivided attention.

"What the hell was that?" Mario was the first to speak after the awkward change of events.

Jasper took deep breaths to calm himself—something I'd never quite understood why we did. For creatures with no need of oxygen, we sure did rely on it a great deal. "It was too much for her," he muttered, not bothering to put any volume behind his voice. "She got sick. I don't have a very high tolerance for nausea."

"If she can't handle Nathan's demise, we should go back and rethink our plan." Mario spoke firmly, turning his head to look at me. "We were supposed to help her, not cause her more anguish."

My anger returned in a red-hot rush, giving me the feeling like blood actually coursed through my veins. "Whose side are you on?" I demanded, attempting to keep my voice low—without much success. "Do you propose that the best way to help Bella would be to watch her be killed? To watch her mortality be _taken away_, without her consent?"

Mario's expression was carefully guarded, but I didn't need to read his features. I knew his thoughts. _Bella does _not_ act like this. Whoever this girl is, it's not the same Bella I have come to know. She's far too weak. Getting sick at the thought of Nathan dying? Please! Bella slept peacefully for three weeks while Nathan indulged himself among the blood-thirsty vampires of Romania. Where was this reaction then? _

He was more confused than angry, which helped to ebb the frustration I was feeling. "Bella's safety_ is_ our number one priority," I continued. "But we can't just protect her life; we need to defend her right to live it. None of us were given a choice. Do you wish this existence on her?"

Mario's thoughts were still confused, but now they were also angry. He was not the type that enjoyed following orders, nor did he easily do something he disliked doing. It was for that reason he was sitting in front of me, no longer under Nathan's ruling. But now, after witnessing what he believed to be Bella's downfall, his thoughts questioned his actions.

I knew he was wrong, I just didn't know how to make him see it. Mario was well informed about Bella's time with us. So well informed that he knew she had, at one point in time, wanted me to change her. And that I had denied her request. To be speaking about choices now made me come across as the worst type of hypocrite.

_I don't wish anything on Bella that she wouldn't want for herself. But we don't know what she wants, because we haven't asked. I think it's pretty obvious she doesn't want Nathan to be killed, unless humans usually get sick when they're happy. _

"We knew she wouldn't be happy. But at least this way she won't be forced to become a monster." I got up then and left the room. I refused to argue with Mario, not when it was he who came to us for help. And not when it was Bella's life at stake.

Alice's thoughts beckoned me into the kitchen as soon as I was on my feet, as if she'd known I was ready to get away from the conversation—which, being Alice, she probably did. She was standing by the counter with a tall glass in her hand when I entered.

"Is Mario getting to you?" she asked, tilting her head slightly to one side.

I shook my head, uninterested in discussing the source of my aggravation. Instead, I asked about the subject I felt was most important. "How's Bella?"

Alice's lips twitched downwards at my evasion, but she allowed it. "She'll be alright. She wants to talk to you."

That seemed rather unlikely. A quick peek into her thoughts confirmed my suspicion: my sister was hiding something. An in depth narration of Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice—while sufficiently entertaining—was not usual Alice-thought.

"Did she--"

"It doesn't matter if she asked or not," Alice cut me off, already knowing what I was about to ask. "I can tell if she wants to talk to you, and you should trust me."

"Then why are you--"

"Oh, quit asking questions and go already. It'll just ruin everything if I show you what's going to happen." She handed me the glass. "Bryant will be back in forty-five minutes and Nathan's going to call the room ten minutes later, unless he gets distracted again. He planned to call twice earlier, but they weren't as clear as this time."

She was changing the subject, trying to distract me from the fact that she was hiding the future from me. There was no point in attempting to have a conversation with her when she got like this—she wouldn't let me finish a single sentence.

Alice grinned, sensing that I'd given up. "Take her the cup and then take her back to Port Angeles. Everything's going to work out, Edward. You'll see. Bella is on our side."

She gave me an unneeded push towards the hall and stepped around me, heading back to the living room. As she left, her thoughts jumped ahead in Shakespeare's play to Act two and to one of the rare lines spoken by Lorenzo.

_Beshrew me but I love her heartily, _

_For she is wise, if I can judge her,_

_And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true,_

_And true she is, as she hath proved herself,_

_And therefore, like herself, wise, fair and true,_

_Shall she be placed in my constant soul._


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N- It's been ages since I've updated... Sorry. This chapter wasn't edited as well as the rest of them, but hopefully you won't be able to tell. lol. Thanks for reading and, as always, please review and let me know what you think! Oh yeah, this one has my first ever attempt at writing fluff.. *hoping it doesn't suck* :-) The whole thing is in Edward's POV.**

* * *

I clutched the glass lightly in my hand and crept down the hall at a human pace. Bella's heartbeat thrummed in my ears—slightly uneven, but not unhealthily so. It's common for a person's pulse rate to increase during times of distress to mind or body. This was certainly one of those times for Bella.

She was sitting on the floor with her eyes half shut when I stepped into the doorway. Her breaths were even, but with forced heaviness that I attributed to her recent illness. Her skin was even paler than normal.

Seeing her like that was difficult; she seemed more like the frail, vulnerable human that she undeniably was. It was nearly impossible not to go to her side and do my very best to protect her from everything that afflicted her. But I couldn't just do that; there were several things stopping me—one being that her blood called to me as much, if not more than, the urge to protect. Another was that she would more than likely reject me if I were to try.

I was about to speak up and announce my entrance when Bella shifted, using her hands to push herself up from the floor. Her eyes blinked open and she moved shakily towards the sink. Then she glanced at me and sort of froze, which wasn't particularly good because she was still in motion. I thought I might get to catch her again but her arms shot out to catch herself on the sink edges.

She glanced down for an instant, her cheeks assuming the glow that marked her embarrassment. Then she looked back up and gave me a quick, curt nod. "Hey."

I wanted to touch her blushing cheeks and joke about how she couldn't stay upright for any amount of time—but I couldn't do that. Instead, I offered her the glass. "Alice thought you would want this," I told her.

"Thanks." She took it and turned away, as if I wasn't there.

I tried to be patient—I did try really hard. But patience has never come easily to me. I did manage to wait for her to get a sip of water before trying to engage her in conversation. "Are you all right?" I asked, willing her to talk to me.

Bella placed the glass on the countertop and turned her head, offering me a feeble smile and a tiny shrug. "I just don't really like Mario's plan," was all she said.

It was more than a simple disliking that had her so emotional, of that I was sure. Bella didn't really like string beans, or clowns. This was deeper than that. She was suffering.

"I'm sorry," I offered her the words, though they couldn't truly help anything. "If there was a way to stop Nathan without killing him, we would. I hate that we are causing you pain—it disgusts me." I would buy him off—pay him any amount of money he could ask for—if only it would effectually end in his leaving my love alone. But Mario didn't think his ex-associate would accept anything in place of Bella. And I didn't blame him.

But it meant I had only one option available to me, and that was to rid Bella of someone she loved—or at least cared a great deal for. But I'd done it before and I would do it again if it meant keeping her safe. When the two choices were hurting her or losing her forever, there was no choice at all.

Bella's eyes grew wide and, for about half a second, I thought I'd managed to make her feel worse—but then her lips turned up at the corners and she laughed. As if that weren't enough, she turned her whole body away from the sink and faced me, shaking her head with what appeared to be disbelief.

"I'm not worried about Nathan. Edward, I'm worried for you. I can't stand the thought of putting your family in harm's way."

She wasn't sick because we were going to go up against Nathan, but because Nathan was going to go up against us. I was absolutely baffled for about two thirds of a second—why would Bella concern herself in our wellbeing over that of Nathan?

There was only one logical answer to that question, but it took longer than it should have for me to reach it. Bella's hair was still damp from the rain, which made her scent more intoxicating, more delicious. I had to overcome the primal urges my damned body forced me to endure before I could enjoy the moment as I rightly should.

After eight years of entirely no contact between us—after being deserted by my family and taken in by another—she still cared more about us than anyone else in her life.

Jasper had noted at one point during the evening that Bella was feeling love, but I'd granted it very little faith at the time. With a few short sentences and one utterance of my name, Bella made me wonder how I'd doubted the possibility. My love for her would never diminish; no matter how many years I walked the earth, I would care for no other in the way I cared for her. Was it so impossible that she might feel the same way?

"If that's your concern, I can assure you that nothing will happen to us. Alice can see these things, remember?" I spoke slowly and stepped closer to her, ignoring the way my instincts craved her nearness for an entirely different reason.

"Yes," Bella agreed. "But I also remember you telling me that the future can change. Nothing is set in stone until after it happens."

She didn't know how right she was. The fact that she was still a living, breathing human was proof of just how imperfect my sister's talent could be. I was thankful for that imperfection now, as I gazed into the warmth of Bella's eyes. They were so deep, so _Bella_—trying desperately to be plain when it was impossible. It would have been incredibly easy to get lost in them and forget the chaotic situation that surrounded us.

But I couldn't allow myself that luxury now. There were questions to be answered and things to be said—and, quite importantly, there was an entire series of events that we had to set into motion.

"You don't need to worry about us, Bella." I assured her again, determined to make her believe it. She wouldn't fool Nathan for a minute if she continued to antagonize herself over what might happen here. I was beginning to wonder if she hadn't grasped the severity of her own part, and felt obliged to remind her. "You're in more danger than all of us put together. The idea of sending you back to that miscreant goes against everything that feels right. If it were merely up to me, I would take you someplace far away, where you wouldn't have to deal with whatever outcome Nathan's anger leads to."

I'd leaned closer to her as I spoke, taking a moment at the end to draw in a deep breath. Sweet tasting venom pooled in my mouth and I had to swallow it, as well as the physical compulsion that always came with it. It was almost easy to ignore the part of me that longed for her blood; protecting her life was far more essential to the preservation of my sanity.

I would do anything, absolutely anything, to ensure Bella remained safe from harm. At one point in time, I reasoned that the only way to do so was to leave her alone for good. It should have worked—and it probably would have, had the human been anyone but Bella.

The next mistake in my long list was asking my sister not to look into her future. If only we had known the sort of company Bella was involving herself with, we could have interfered at the first hint of danger.

Mario was a gift sent from God—no matter how terribly he got on my nerves. There was no way to know what would have happened, had he accompanied Bella to Port Angeles to do Nathan's bidding. Alice wouldn't know to look for any decisions and we'd be taken off guard… If something like that were to have happened, it would be no one's fault but my own.

I'd been amiss, to the point of putting Bella into the hands of one with just as much capability of hurting her, but with less reservation.

"Bella," Her name fell through my lips naturally, just like it always had. A spark of emotion flashed through her eyes as she inched closer, closing the distance between us. The soft sound of her heart skipped into a quicker, heavier pounding, making her skin flush as blood rushed through her veins.

"Yes?"

"I'm so sorry." I had no right to hope she would accept my apology, and yet I did anyway.

Bella drew back, her eyebrows dipping together in confusion. "Sorry for what?"

I reached up, intending to smooth the crinkle of skin above her nose, but changed my direction at the last moment. So softly it could hardly be called a touch, I swept my fingers across the skin of her cheek. It was a lovely shade of scarlet and felt warmer than I could have imagined.

"I should never have left you. I entertained the foolish notion that your life would be safer without me in it." It seemed offensively foolish now—I'd lost eight years of Bella's life. Eight years of having her by my side; two thousand nine hundred and twenty two full days—and just as many nights—that I would never be able to get back. "I should have known better," I mourned, feeling the full weight of my mistakes.

Bella didn't respond with words, but she didn't protest when I traced the line of her jaw with both touch and sight. She was entirely familiar and changed at the same time—with age had come a kind of maturity, or refinement. I took a few seconds to commit the subtle changes to memory.

When the sound of someone pacing towards the bathroom caught my attention, it actually took an effort to open my mind enough to hear who it was. I didn't want anything to break up the moment of peace that Bella and I had found.

I knew what the message would be before I heard it. It didn't matter how much I willed it—reality would wait for no one.

I did the last thing I wanted to do and stepped back, hating Nathan more for every inch of space between Bella's beloved face and my own. "Alice thinks it's time to get you back," I explained, catching the look of disappointment that flashed across Bella's features. It was a wonderful thing to see; giving more hope to one who truly didn't deserve any. "Are you sure you're up for this?" I asked, thinking once more on the idea of simply taking her away from everything.

Bella nodded without confidence. She spoke softly, sounding like herself, without the forced poise from our recent meeting. "What exactly are we going to do?"

I gave her a brief synopsis of what would happen when we left the house, ending with the fact that she would be leaving the state the next night. Nathan would book the tickets as soon as Bryant called with news that the deal was done. I omitted the part where I followed on the next flight out, with the reasoning that it was best for her to go back to Florida thinking only of herself. Knowledge of my presence would likely serve to distract her from what was important. I just wanted to be close, close enough to interfere if Alice were to see something unpleasant coming Bella's way.

My answer didn't seem to offer her any peace of mind; Bella's eyes held raw fear and apprehension as she digested the plan.

_Edward!_ Alice harassed me from the hallway. _I'm serious; you have to leave in two minutes. I will not stand by and let you mess up your future_.

I nearly growled in exasperation. Beings such as us—with no allegiance to time whatsoever—should not have to race against a clock. The last thing I wanted to do when Bella looked so pained was to rush her along, but it seemed that I had no choice.

Before I could bring myself to speak up and toss us back into the bewildering throws of reality, Bella found her voice. Her words were the verbal equivalent of an unexpected blow—I hadn't seen them coming, and they hurt.

"Why are you doing this?"

Taking a backwards step, I put more distance between us. Was it that Bella didn't understand the motivation behind our attempt to save her, or did she really think we should just let Nathan's plans play out as he desired? Did she not _want_ to be removed from his supposed 'care'?

"Would you rather we had not interfered?" It hurt to speak the words, so I spat them venomously. If Nathan was what she wanted…

But no, Bella cringed as if my assumption caused her pain too. "That's not what I meant. I just mean _why_—why would you complicate things for yourself, take risks, for my sake? You said last night it was because you all loved me, but that is past tense, Edward. What happened to your distractions, and your oppositions to playing human? _Why _would you try to save me if you don't want me anymore?"

Her uncertainty was all my doing. In one day—in one hour, really—I'd managed to discredit the hundreds of times I'd shown Bella how much I cared for her. How was that possible? She'd always been a little caught up on the differences between us, but did that really lead her to believe our love would be fleeting from the start?

I would remove all of her doubt about my love, if it was the last thing I did.

"You have no idea how difficult it was for me to tell you those things. I thought my reasoning was sound, Bella, you have to understand that." I pleaded with her with my eyes. _I was trying to protect you._ "I thought that if you could move on, live a full, human life as you were intended to… I thought you could be happy as well as safe. Keeping you from the dangers of my existence was more important to me than the selfish urge of keeping you for myself. I would make any sacrifice if it meant preserving your safety." That was almost funny; Bella had never been far from harm's way. "Logic should have made me realize that you don't know how to live a safe life. I—"

_Would you go already? _I could hear Alice stomp her foot out in the hallway. I scowled in her direction. _Talk later, when you're alone! You won't have ten minutes at the motel before Bryant arrives if you don't get a move on!_

I gave Bella the most apologetic look I could muster. "We're out of time. Let's go, we can talk further on the way."

* * *

We ended up speaking little on the drive into town. Bella seemed uncomfortable, distracted even. I knew she was reluctant to even get into the car with me by the way she gave Emmett a pleading look on the way out.

All of my family's thoughts had been encouraging, even—to my immense surprise—Rosalie's. The conversations between my sister and I had been few and far in between since our sudden move from Washington. I knew she wrongly blamed Bella for uprooting the family when everyone loved Forks, but perhaps she was coming around. I'd kept my distance from her thoughts even in recent times, so I couldn't be sure on her reasoning.

The motel parking lot was fairly deserted. I parked the car and darted around to open Bella's door before she'd even had time to unbuckle her seatbelt.

"Shall we?" I asked, offering her my hand like you only see in the older movies. It was truly amazing how scarce chivalry had become.

Bella scowled and tried to push my hand away. Naturally she wasn't one to react like the poor, helpless female depicted in the films. I forced myself to stand by and watch her put weight on her bad ankle, and then wince as it caused her pain. Her eyes scanned the lot from one side to the other before her shoulders dropped in relief.

"He's not here yet," she said, offering me a tight smile. She took a small step towards the motel entrance and her body flinched, but her expression revealed nothing.

I could have told her that. We had a total of fourteen minutes before Alice saw him arriving. I resigned to following Bella at her slower-than-normal pace, though every time she stepped on her right ankle I had to resist insisting my aid.

The lobby was bustling with activity. Well dressed people traversed from the elevators to the lounge or from the lounge to the conveniently placed couches in the lobby. Bella made her way past the elevators and through a set of dark wood double doors, keeping her gaze focused ahead of us, while I checked the thoughts of those around us for anything suspicious. I heard sarcastic remarks and drunken nonsense, the whining of tired children who had to sit in the lobby while their parents liquored up, the plotting of one individual as he devised a way to break into the restaurant kitchen, and more—but nothing pertaining to the young lady limping across the lobby.

I'd assumed Bella didn't want to talk from the silence in the car, but she glanced back at me and struck up a conversation as soon as we stepped foot into the empty hallway.

"This is probably going to tick Bryant off," she stated, grinning enthusiastically. I gave her a skeptical look, wondering why that would make her happy. She caught it and continued. "He won't know what to think when he shows up and you're in here. It goes against his cocky, holier-than-thou persona to be out of the loop."

"And you're looking forward to the questioning he'll give you when he returns?" I couldn't tell if the new rigidness in her stance was due to her ankle or my reminder of what was to come.

She shook her head, a movement that caused the short hair on the back of her neck to sway. "No, that part won't be very pleasant. But I can ignore him, like he always does me," she muttered the last part to herself, though I was sure she knew I could hear it too. Then she stopped walking and spoke louder, reaching into her pocket for her room key. "Here we are. It's probably burning up in here; I left the heater on. Not that it really matters, but I'm warning you."

I grinned and Bella blushed—embarrassed for rambling, I presumed. She knew better than anyone just how unbothered I was by warmth. I could probably soak comfortably in a tub of boiling water, though I'd never actually tried it.

I followed Bella into her room, standing to the side as she went to turn on the lights. "You can sit down," she offered, sweeping her hand towards the sofa at the far end of the room. She was nervous, but she hid it exceedingly well.

"Are you going to sit?" I asked, acutely conscious of the dwindling time. Had I already messed up Alice's vision by waiting too long to leave the house? The weight of not knowing was beginning to grate at my nerves—I was already handicapped when it came to Bella, you'd think my sister would want to help me out, not hinder me further.

Bella stepped into the kitchenette, turning her back to me. "Yeah, I'm coming… just a sec." Her movements were erratic as she created a vile smelling concoction in a red paper cup. She actually watched the floor as she carried the beverage to the couch, in what I assumed to be an effort to avoid an accident that would spill it.

"Some trip this has turned out to be, huh?" She cracked a smile upon taking her seat. "I'd rate it a ten for unpredictability." She lifted the cup and took a long sip—I watched her fingers trembling around the plastic container.

"You're scared," I commented, passing up on her stab at a light mood. Bella smirked and glanced towards the television; she shook her head like she was amused, but her fingertips rubbed quick, restless circles over the plastic surface of her cup. "You have every reason to be afraid," I continued, using a soft tone that was known to bring her comfort in the past. "I know that—"

Bella regarded me with narrowed eyes. "I'm not scared. Not in the way you think—not for me, at least. But we've already gone over this."

"We have," I agreed, after letting a few seconds pass in stunned silence.

Bella picked right back up, as if she'd never stopped speaking. "And we already know I can deal with Nathan's hardheadedness; I've been doing just fine for quite a while now. I can't even comprehend the thought of this battle everyone keeps talking about, but I know it's going to happen whether I understand it or not. Stupid vampires fighting about stupid things—and I don't have any idea what will happen afterwards! I don't—I can't—"

Her shoulders shook once and she took in a sharp breath, glancing away from me. The cup in her hand tipped precariously, threatening to spill over into her lap as she seemed to forget that she held it.

"Bella," I moved closer to her on instinct. After relocating her drink to the more stable coffee table, I leaned forward and took her both hands in mine. Her fingers shook against my palms and she still wouldn't look at me. "What happens afterwards should be the least of your fears. No one will force you to do anything you don't want to do—you can remain in Florida, if that is your wish." I didn't quite understand her alarm; she could do anything she wanted after Nathan was gone.

It was almost a full minute before Bella responded. I had to summon all of my patience to keep from getting frustrated. Bella's silence was exponentially worse than the silence of anyone else, because hers was complete. The fact that she had yet to pull her hands away was probably the only reason I managed to wait that long.

She shook her head weakly and spoke on a whisper. "I can't stay in Florida." Even her voice trembled.

I tightened my hold on her hands as the possible implications of that short statement danced in my mind. "You don't have to," I reminded her. "You can go wherever you want. Just know that I will be forced to follow you, if only to keep you safe."

I had expected that reassurance to bring her relief, but it seemed to do the opposite. But it got her to finally look at me. "I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do, either," she stated, giving me a stern look. "You can't spend all your time with me just because I might wind up getting myself killed."

I flinched at the anger in her voice, but held tight to her hands. There was no way I was going to be the one to relinquish that small sense of connection."The only place I want to be is where you are. I can't go on like I have for the past eight years. It never got better, Bella. The only place that I can exist contentedly is by your side."

Color swept into her cheeks and her breath faltered. She tried to turn her gaze from mine but I reacted quicker, releasing one of her hands in order to touch her cheek and prevent the movement. The breath she held came out as a soft sigh. Her cheeks darkened with color, her heartbeat pushed closer to the quickest I'd ever heard it.

We had maybe three minutes left together. Was this was Alice saw happening? Bella's eyes held mine willingly now; my hand rested on her cheek without any pressure at all. She wasn't trying to move away. Would she reject me if I tried moving closer? Her expression was void of anger or hatred; it was the most heartfelt look she'd given me yet. The light in her eyes was affectionate, almost inviting.

Then she spoke my name and lifted her free hand to my face, grazing over my cheek so softly all I felt was a teasing hint of warmth. I gave up on the question of her objection at that point—or more, I gave up on rational thought altogether. I didn't even ease closer to her slowly; I gave her no warning at all. One second we were staring into each other's eyes, and the next I had closed what distance was between us and pressed my lips to hers.

We both froze for about an eighth of a second, eyes closed, breaths held. And then Bella made a tiny noise in the back of her throat and knotted her hand in my hair, and it was like I'd been granted the ability to dream. My lips and throat were in a battle to see which could burn the hottest; a pressure built in my chest that made me feel like I actually _needed_ to breath.

It was absurd and somewhat frightening, but it was familiar. It was Bella. She affected me like nothing—or no one—else could.

I let go of her hand when she tugged against my grip, and was instantly grateful when she used it to brace herself on the couch to slide into my side. I moved my free arm around her shoulders and the warmth was everywhere, making my skin tingle in a way I hadn't felt in what seemed like centuries.

I expected Bella to realize what was happening and pull away at any moment, but amazingly that moment never came. One of her hands gripped the back of my neck, her thumb pressing into the skin just behind my ear. The other moved through my hair and grazed against my scalp in unpredictable patterns, causing me to shiver—another reaction that could be triggered by no other sensation but one brought on by Bella.

I wished more than anything that my power had to do with stopping time, and not mind reading. It was much too soon when I moved my hands to her shoulders to end our embrace. Bella must have known it was coming, because her lips paused on mine and her hands gripped tighter to my hair and neck. She was silently urging me to stay, and I wanted to concede… But I couldn't. I had to tell her goodbye before events swept us apart and I lost the opportunity.

It was definitely for the best; the moment our lips parted, Bella sucked in a long, harsh breath. She was probably getting dizzy from lack of air, and I'd nearly forgotten that she _did_, in fact, require oxygen to survive.

The fingers grasping my hair loosened and slid from their place, until both of her hands were resting on my shoulders, mimicking the way I held her. We sat very close, so that our foreheads only inches apart. I waited for her eyes to open and find mind, then I kissed her once more and retreated back several more inches, in hopes that the fire in my throat would ease—and that I could recall how to speak—with some space between us.

"Wow… I've missed that." Bella found her voice first, though it was breathy. Then her gaze dropped and her already blushed skin shaded itself darker.

I grinned, amused because she acted as if she'd received a compliment, rather than issuing it. "I've missed everything about you," was my response.

Bella shook her head like she didn't believe me. "There's not much to miss."

She didn't know how wrong she was, but as much as I wanted to enlighten her, there just wasn't enough time. We were down to seconds. Bryant had to be close by now; maybe even close enough for me to pick up his thoughts. I didn't try, though—there would be plenty of time for me to analyze his mind later.

"Please, please take care of yourself. Don't do anything reckless—for me this time."

Bella's eyes were moist when they met mine again. It felt like there was still so much more I wanted to say, but we were out of time. Footsteps too fluid and graceful to be human made their way down the corridor, turning the corner that would lead to Bella's suite.

I took a deep breath and swept a glance across Bella's features, resting briefly on the soft lines of her lips, turned upwards in a dazed smile. This memory would be all I had to sustain me for the coming weeks. When we would speak again depended on which course of action Nathan took, either hasty or well-formulated. All I could do until that decision was made was hope that he was in a hurry.

Bella must have caught some unintentional change in my expression, because her gaze went to the door that joined her room with Bryant's. Her smile was gone in an instant and she tensed all over, as if preparing for a confrontation. I took that as my cue to slip from beneath her hands and stand, listening as a keycard was inserted into the door beside the room we occupied.

The tarnished hardware that held the door in place announced his arrival with an irritating high pitched squeak. If that sound wasn't loud enough for human ears to catch, the growl that Bryant let out most definitely was. His thoughts were a deafening torrent of curses as he flew across his room at a pace that was beyond human ability.

"Who the fuck are you?" he demanded, coming to a stop a few feet away. He placed himself between me and either exit, as if he were planning to stop me from leaving. The idea was laughable.

_What the fuck? What! The! Fuck! I mean, just, what the fuck?_

If I hadn't been previously filled in on the lack of depth to Bryant's thoughts, I might have been surprised. I couldn't contain a smirk as it was. It would be interesting to see if he came up with any of his own conclusions during our run through the forest.

I resisted the urge to glance back at Bella—if I looked once I might not be able to leave—and took a step towards the dark haired vampire. He snarled and dropped into a crouch, taking my silence and the amused expression on my face as an insult.

"Just try to keep up," I challenged, sprinting easily around him. I was in his suite before he took his first step towards me, and out in the hallway before he reached his room. Of course I could only keep up the inhuman pace for so long, but all I had to do was beat him to the parking lot.


	12. Chapter 12

I don't know how long I sat on the couch after Edward and Bryant left. My legs felt weak, my chest hurt, and my ears were ringing. It might have been shock, but I liked to think of it as my body and mind just needed a moment to catch up with reality. I half expected for someone to come flying back into the room, but after awhile it was apparent that it wasn't going to happen.

Still, I eyed both doors like they might burst into flames or start throwing daggers.

When a high pitched ringing filled the quiet room I jumped, wincing when my ankle bumped the base of the couch. It was the motel room phone; the light flashed red from its place on the table between the beds.

My fingers brushed over the front pocket of my jeans as I stood, ensuring my cell phone was still in its place. It was. Only a handful of people would have known to call the motel. I braced myself for the worst of them before answering.

"Hello?"

"Bella, good evening, dear."

I'd heard his voice a thousand times, but never had it affected me like it did then. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, leaning against the table when an icy shiver went up my spine.

"Nathan… How are you?" There were no words to describe the voice that came out of my mouth. It was shaking and pitched all wrong. I gritted my teeth, trying to swallow my nervousness, and brought my free hand up to the back of my neck. Squeezing at the base of my hairline, I repeated a one word mantra in my mind: _calm, calm, calm._

"I'm feeling quite triumphant at the moment. As should you, my dear. Don't tell me your injury has taken the pleasure out of our accomplishment?"

"No, I'm pleased. I wasn't much help, but it worked out anyway, so that's good."

Nathan laughed. "You're too modest. I never have trouble getting a company to meet my terms with you as my representative. They would sell their souls if it meant working under your supervision."

What used to feel like the innocent jesting of a friend suddenly took on a whole new weight. I was uneasy at the notion of returning to Florida—uneasy for myself—for the first time. Clearing my throat, and squeezing my neck so tightly it was probably changing colors, I forced this new tension aside with my original nervousness. I had to be me. Right now, and for the next however many weeks, I had to be the Bella he expected me to be.

"People meet your terms because you have a reputation of being relentless," I teased back, forcing the words out of my dry throat.

"There's no denying that," Nathan chuckled amusedly.

Our conversation was light from there. My voice didn't betray me again until Nathan cut off in the middle of telling me how much Cassie had been getting on his nerves. There was a short pause where I couldn't hear anything at all, and then Nathan spoke again, sounding confused.

"Why is Bryant calling me?"

"Umm…" I was at a loss for words. I wasn't supposed to have any idea where Bryant had taken off to. "An old acquaintance heard I was in town and stopped by earlier. Bryant went Dracula and followed him out—I don't know what flipped his switch. I figured they would talk and he'd come back, but that was almost twenty minutes ago." It all came out in a single breath, rushed to the point of being mumbled.

I worried Nathan would call my bluff, but he didn't seem to notice. He must have been terribly interested in what Bryant had to tell him, because he promised to call me back and then hung up before I could respond.

I placed the phone back on the hook with shaking hands. Bryant and Nathan were speaking right then. There could be no turning back.

Was Bryant getting new orders? Would Nathan want him to spy on the Cullen's so he could plan the best method of attack? The idea was repulsing. And now I had to go back and face him, knowing what I knew, feeling how I felt.

I couldn't even picture Nathan in my mind without shuddering. How was I going to stand in front of him and smile like normal? Edward was right—my part was the hardest.

With nothing else to do, I returned to the couch and my nearly full drink, planning to finish it off. Because really, who liked to waste things?

But when I sat this time my mind did not rest idly with my body. I considered Edward's suggestion of simply running away. We could go somewhere else and live effortlessly, never learning of or dealing with the repercussions of Nathan's actions. We could be happy. But how long would it last? How long would Edward allow himself to be tied down by a human existence before it became too much for him to stand?

I trusted him more now than I had walking into the Cullen's house that afternoon. I trusted that he and his family were acting in my best interest and would do everything they could to ensure my safety. I knew that, if I were to ask him, Edward would take me away without making a single complaint—but I wasn't sure if I trusted him enough for that.

Sixty minutes together couldn't resolve all of the pain I'd felt. I wanted to believe every word he'd said to me, but it was too hard when eight years spoke against him.

It would take time to get back what time had taken away.

The phone rang just as I'd come to that quote of a conclusion. I swallowed hard and seriously considered not answering it. But delaying the inevitable would not make it go away, so I sat my now-empty cup on the table and stepped over to the phone.

"Bella," Nathan's voice was aloof when he answered my greeting. "Bryant has followed your friend back to a quaint little town called Forks, but he doesn't think it would be wise to continue. Can you tell me why he would run? Bryant said he just wanted to talk to the guy."

"Bryant didn't act like he wanted to talk. He was in attack mode, like crouching and hissing and all that. I would've run if my ankle didn't hurt so badly." All of this was the truth, so it wasn't that hard say convincingly.

"That doesn't sound like any way for him to greet a guest of yours. But this is Bryant we're talking about." Nathan sighed before continuing, "I'll be sure to talk with him about manners when you return. Now, I was planning on having you both on a flight out tomorrow afternoon—but I'm sure something could be arranged if you want to extend your visit. You haven't had a vacation since your first year."

I had to sit down after that. "I don't need a vacation," I said, because that was always my response when the subject came up. The only reason I'd stayed away from Nathan's agency for a week in my first year was because my mother was sick and Phil was out of town.

"How did I know that was coming? It would certainly save me from a lot of Cassie's whining if you returned immediately, but I worry that you don't have enough time for yourself. Has anyone ever told you that you work too much?"

I couldn't believe the baloney coming from Nathan's end. He wouldn't be so endearing if he knew I was in on his little scheme. Hanging around so he could have someone spy on me while he rallied his army was an idea I found less than appealing.

I fought to keep my voice civil. This would be very challenging indeed. "Tell Cass I'll be home tomorrow night, no questions about it. This place is in my past, Nathan. I don't want to stay any longer than necessary."

"I thought after visiting with an old friend you might have had a change of heart."

I tried to tell him that my old friend had stopped by to see me unannounced, and not by my own choice, but the first word came out so stuttered I didn't bother continuing the attempt and settled for a one word answer.

"No."

"Well I suppose we'll be seeing you tomorrow then. Feel free to call on your friends in the meantime; Bryant won't attempt to stop you. Don't hesitate to call me if he's a nuisance when he returns."

I agreed, even though I was fuming on the inside. Anything Bryant did when he returned was at Nathan's request. Following Edward had been Nathan's request—maybe not in so many words, but Mario said he'd be ordered to learn what he could about anyone who appeared friendly.

Thankfully Nathan didn't keep me on the phone for long. Since there was nothing else to be done and because I probably wouldn't get another chance, I went to the closet to dig out the dress from the night before. It wasn't exactly dirty, but it didn't really matter. I wouldn't have a chance to wash it before taking it back.

Bryant still wasn't back by the time I returned. I wanted to call Mario or Edward and find out what happened, but I didn't want Bryant to walk in while I was mid-call. It would mess things up if he checked my phone history and noticed I'd been in touch with them throughout the day.

I did notice something strange while I was walking to the kitchen for another drink. Something smelled tasty when I passed the open door to Bryant's suite.

I stopped and took a step back, so I could sniff the air and look inside the dark room. It smelled like soy sauce and chicken—Chinese food. Bryant agreeing to bring dinner seemed like it happened days ago, not earlier that afternoon. I went to retrieve it from where he'd carelessly dropped the bag when he realized he wasn't the only vampire in the suites. Instead of eating it, though, I put it in the fridge. I was a long way from having an appetite.

* * *

**EPOV**

Bryant gained ground on me as we raced through the lobby. He was exposing himself to anyone who might notice how quick he was moving, but he didn't seem to realize it.

I hit wind and rain as soon as I was outside. Bryant smacked the door less than two seconds behind me, which inspired me to throw caution to the wind and run full out to my car.

Bryant's vehicle was parked much closer to the entrance. He caught on to what I was doing and changed his objective, darting towards his vehicle instead of me. He was backing out of his space when I jumped into my car, but I was closer to the road and had parked so I could pull straight out.

He was right behind me when I turned on the road. He hadn't even bothered with headlights or windshield wipers.

I shifted gears forcefully, afraid for a moment that I might break the gear stick off in my haste. Suddenly I wished I'd been paying better attention to Alice's visions for the past few days. All I had to go by was what she'd actually said to me. 'Don't let him catch you before you're out of town' and 'Go on foot when the moment's right'.

When would the moment be right? Certainly not now; we had to get away from the lit streets of the city. His car wasn't as well built as my own—surely I'd be able to hold him off until we neared the forest.

I focused on Bryant's thoughts as we sped through stop signs and red lights. He was angry, but he was also curious. And he wasn't curious about what I'd expected—which meant he wasn't as dim minded as I'd expected, either.

He'd caught traces of Mario's scent on me. That wasn't a big deal; considering we'd never come across each other before, Bryant could just assume I had a similar, yet distinctively different scent. This would be true if he had stayed away from the benefit altogether the night before.

Because Bryant swore he'd picked up the familiar scent of his old ally in the grand ballroom of Olympic Golf Inc. And now he was putting two and two together.

Not only did he have orders to learn what he could of me, but now I'd been deemed the enemy. Bryant had it out for Mario and anyone who might be associated with him. This new knowledge gave him determination.

I was learning that determined Bryant was a very, very efficient driver. Our vehicles might as well have been strung together for the lack of space between my rear bumper and his front fender. I skidded around a sharp curve at over eighty miles per hour and was rewarded with a faint tap on my bumper.

Now, I had long ago earned the right to call myself the best driver among my family, both close and extended. My current vehicle had been tweaked aftermarket for the highest speeds attainable.

Bryant drove a rented Ford Mustang.

It was enough to make one wonder if driving skills could really be a vampire's special power.

I found the idea more and more likely as we hit open road and Bryant _still_ remained glued to my bumper. When I felt the car jolt and swerve from a rear impact, I was sure of it. But I wasn't thinking about his talent now—not when he'd just scratched up the back of my car.

The car was less than a year old and it was completely unblemished. Until now.

We were far enough from the city lights to pull over, and that's exactly what I did. But not without causing another paint-scraping collision; because I was the mind reader and not Bryant, and because he wasn't bright enough to back off when I applied the brakes, his car pushed mine until eventually my brakes had stopped us both.

I left the car in the center of the road and got out. The door hinges strained and nearly snapped when I didn't heed my strength.

_Edward, you must calm yourself. This is about Bella, remember? You will ruin everything we've planned if you harm him now._ Carlisle's thoughts reached me from somewhere within the forest around us. He was there to retrieve my car once I'd led Bryant far enough away.

I'd sort of been hoping for Jasper. Because he would have stopped me before I ripped off the Mustangs side mirror and used to it shatter the windshield. And, had Jasper been present, I probably wouldn't have ripped Bryant's angry, thrashing frame through the hole the missing windshield created.

Bryant started fighting back as I dragged him to the hood. He spat curses and threats, yanking at my arms. His teeth were bared and his coherent threats gave way to hissing as he tried to twist around enough to sink them into my skin.

Carlisle was seconds from interfering when I finally got a hold over my actions. I wanted to throw Bryant through the hood and wrap his body around the burning hot engine, and I wanted to wrench his head from his shoulders first. But I controlled myself and did none of those things.

I threw Bryant to the pavement and took off running at once. It might have been cowardly, and Bryant's thoughts assured me that it was, but it was probably the only way for the plan to continue. It was run then or run never—move away or kill him.

There were already too many unavoidable flaws in our strategy. I chose not to add to them willingly, though killing him was exactly what I wanted to do.

Bryant's speed on the highway definitely didn't carry over to traveling on foot. I had to slow down more than once in the beginning to keep his thoughts from drifting out of range. Then I settled into a pace that seemed to suit my cause, and it was then that I just listened.

Bryant hadn't given up on his Mario speculations. They brewed in the back of his thoughts while the fury he felt towards me raged in the forefront. He wanted to kill me, too. His speculations were far less imaginative than my own—nothing even remotely creative as wrapping his body around the engine of his own car. The scenarios playing out in his mind were like an instruction manual to his fighting style, so I forced myself to pay attention.

Alice had assured me that I would get the chance to engage him physically when he returned with Nathan for that purpose, so the information would eventually prove useful.

We'd been running for about ten minutes when I caught Esme's scent on the wind. Then I could detect Emmett and Rosalie and, after another hundred feet, the last two available members of my family.

It wasn't long after that when Bryant decided his best chances rested with turning around. I only caught the beginning of his thought about calling Nathan before he was no longer close enough for me to hear.

I despised letting him just walk away, but there was no other choice. With a regretful sigh, I picked up speed and went to join my family.

* * *

**BPOV**

Bryant slammed his door when he came in; hard enough to shake the walls in my room. I dropped my cell phone, forgoing the idea of calling Cassie to perk me up. That would have to wait until later

Bryant was in my room and standing in front of me before the cell phone had fallen to the bedspread. His shirt—an expensive suit top for the meeting—was torn at the shoulders and covered in mud. The rest of his clothes bore similar conditions. But it was his facial expression that caught most of my attention—Bryant was seething. I'd never seen him nearly so angry.

I wanted to ask him what happened but I was pretty much afraid to speak…or move.

"Who was he?" The words sounded more like a statement—or more, a command—than any question I'd ever heard.

Not even my alcohol consumption had prepared me for this moment. I should have been angry with him, and yet the only emotion I felt was fear—lots of it. Bryant's pitch black gaze kept me practically frozen in place.

He wasn't my friend now. Not my associate or even my acquaintance. He was the predator and I was the prey.

It might have taken most people a lifetime to respond in such a situation. But this was far from my first time facing a vampire who seemed to want me dead. It also helped that, no matter how angry he became, Bryant wasn't allowed to harm me.

I didn't have to wait long for the involuntary function that had saved me from Cassie's attempts at persuasion in the past. Only this time it wasn't Cassie pleading innocently with her bright red eyes, but Bryant trying to make me feel terrified and inferior. No matter the type of gaze I was avoiding, the blinking trick always worked. When my eyes were too dry for my body to stand and my eyelids drew together automatically, I simply forced them to stay that way.

Now I was facing Bryant in the dark, but with the much needed confidence he'd taken from me. And that was all I needed.

"Back off," I demanded, finally finding my voice.

"Open your fucking eyes and tell me, Bella." He was still right in front of me, possibly closer than before.

"That's a negative." I kept my tone firm, even when I felt his cold breath creep over the exposed skin on my neck. "Not until you back up at least three feet."

Bryant's voice came from further away when he spoke again. "I have a right to know who attacked me and set me up to be ambushed, don't you think?"

I inhaled sharply, surprised. My eyes blinked open to take in his disheveled clothing again. Edward had attacked him?

Surely that wasn't part of the plan.

Closing my eyes probably wouldn't have given me so much reassurance if I'd known there had been physical violence. Now I didn't know if I was being questioned for Nathan's benefit or because of Bryant's vengeful nature. Was his thirst for revenge strong enough to make him disregard his orders and break rank?

"His name is Edward." I gave the information reluctantly, though I didn't see what he could do with just a first name. Then I continued, trying to sound civil as I reminded him who was in charge. "Nathan said you would leave him alone, though."

"Nathan may change his mind when he knows everything," he responded.

"What sort of everything?" I asked, struggling to suppress a smirk. There was no way Bryant knew more about the situation than Nathan—he was just a tool.

I got a question instead of an answer, and my lying skills were instantly put on the spot.

"What do you know about Mario being here?"

"Mario?" The name came out as a squeak. I cleared my throat, trying to pass it off as surprise. "Why in the world would Mario be here?"

Bryant ignored my question and turned away. He paced across the room unhurriedly before stopping beside the television stand, where he regarded the couch with a thoughtful expression.

I was trying to be collected as possible, ignoring the overwhelming urge to bite my lip or just do _something_ with my hands. In mere days I'd gone from an excellent liar to a mediocre one, and from a semi-honest person to someone who held every tiny truth under lock and key. The two alterations were about as ill fitting as possible.

"What did he come here for?" Bryant asked suddenly, still looking towards the seating area.

Since his focus wasn't on me I allowed my hands to twist together briefly. "I don't know," I said softly. "He wasn't here long enough to say very much. We were just doing some catching up when you came in. I don't even know who told him I was here. I was too surprised to ask." That sounded good.

"Mario wasn't brought up in your conversation at all?"

I shook my head even though he wasn't paying attention. "He wasn't mentioned at all." Valuing every truth I got to tell, I put extra conviction behind the claim.

A look of frustration passed over Bryant's features and his head shook like he was disagreeing. Then his eyes darted from the couch to different points in the room, as if he were looking for something. Like I was going to hide a clue to the mystery behind my lamp or in the empty pizza box on the dresser.

Though his demeanor was composed, his eyes were still dark as night when they finally rested on me again. I dropped my gaze to the tattered material of his shirt almost immediately. The very last thing I needed was to get trapped by his eyes again.

"I wish you'd go to your room or something," I said. He probably wouldn't listen to me, but it was worth a try.

"And I wish you would volunteer some information. Do you know the others? There were at least four more aside from this Edward."

I shrugged my shoulders. It was best for Nathan to know as little as possible about the exact number he would be up against. "I think there's four more in his coven."

"And do you know them?" he pressed.

"Not well. I kept my distance after one of them tried to attack me." Bending the truth seemed to work well for me, much better than blatant lying.

Bryant's expression registered vague surprise before he grinned. His posture shifted to a less intimating stance and it was like he'd never been trying to hound me in the first place.

I looked at him questioningly. Was it possible that Bryant's fury and determination could be shaken off by a simply reencounter of one of my many near-death experiences?

But that wasn't it. He was just taking advantage of an opportunity to tease me. "You didn't learn to quit playing with fire after that? Most humans would take being attacked as a sign to stay away. Do you play with pit bulls, too?"

He might have been joking at my expense, but the change in his attitude was helpful. It altered the bullying atmosphere of our conversation to something much lighter—something I felt semi-comfortable partaking in.

"Depends on if I thought it wanted to kill me or not," I replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Bryant snorted. "I don't think you'd recognize the signs if it did want to kill you."

The statement was straightforward enough, but the way his dark eyes burned in my direction made me think he wasn't speaking about any breed of dog.

I swallowed hard and cleared my throat. "I'm still alive, aren't I?" I asked, daringly meeting his gaze for a fraction of a second.

"Perhaps," Bryant allowed. His grin was still in place, but now it had a cruel edge. "But that could change in the blink of an eye, no? Human life is a matter of luck, and eventually everyone runs out of it."

"Take your riddles to someone who cares," I huffed, feeling indignant.

"You've had more luck than most," Bryant continued as if he hadn't even heard me. "How much longer do you think it will last?"

_I don't know, but I guess you're going to tell me._ I kept my sarcastic comment silent this time, seeing as he wasn't paying me any attention.

"Do you think it'll last when I tell Nathan you're aiding Mario?"

"What are you getting at, Bryant? You're accusing me of something that doesn't make any sense. I've been stuck in this room for practically three days, how am I supposed to help anyone?" Wow—anger really did a number on my lying skills. Maybe that meant I wouldn't have much problem being dishonest with Nathan, because I was furious with him.

"We're going to Forks tomorrow. Maybe that will help clear a few things up." Bryant shrugged and moved closer to his door. I wanted him to disappear through it and never show up again, but not even my supposed luck was _that_ good.

"I don't know about you, but the only place I'm going is to the airport," I retorted, glaring at his back.

Bryant paused in his steps to smirk at me over his shoulder. "You're wrong about that. Take it up with Nathan if you don't believe me. Oh, and get rid of that shit that you call food if you're not going to eat it. It positively reeks." He cast a distasteful glance towards my fridge before leaving the room.

I jumped when he slammed his side of our adjoining doors and just stared after him in shock. Bryant was going to complicate things, I could feel it.

* * *

Any guesses as to what will happen in Forks? It'll be interesting, I promise. Would it be bribery to offer a preview of the next chapter to the people who review? Ah, who cares. I think I'll try it anyway. Review and you'll get a little foretaste of what happens next... :)


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